A Black Heart Of Obsidian
by The Clown King Of Chaos
Summary: The Black Sekirei Karasuba and the Water Sekirei Tsukiumi meet the Ashikabi of the former's dreams: A brilliant, but impulsive and bloodthirsty pyromaniac. Together, the three of them become the most unpredictable and dangerous Discipline Squad anyone will ever see.
1. Black And White

Love. That was what Karasuba's old teammate, Yume, had always prattled on about. Teaching love to the little birds as she called them. It drove Karasuba insane. She really didn't feel like there was enough room in her heart for actual love, since the only thing she did love was killing. And as she walked down the cold, empty, and dark street, that was all she could think about, which was shocking to say the least. Tomorrow, the Sekirei Plan would begin, and she would be the leader of the third incarnation of the Discipline Squad. She would also be winged by a man she didn't react to in any way. When she was around any living thing, she would show that she didn't care at all; the only thing she thought of was killing and forcing others to mutilate each other. But now that she was all alone, and had nothing to do, her mind raced around Yume's lectures, and she even felt deep within her, a sliver of jealousy for the other Sekirei, who would be with the Ashikabi they were destined for. Well, except for the Discarded One. She didn't even feel pity for the old lab rat.

_Loneliness truly is a cold mistress,_ she thought to herself. Suddenly, she felt a shove on her left shoulder move her away.

"Either move faster, or get out of my way," the passing man told her in an extremely raspy voice.

"Who do you think you are?" Karasuba was so amused by his stupidity that she didn't notice the slight heat inside of her entire body.

The man stopped dead in his tracks, which was hard to tell. Everything he was wearing was pitch-black, and his hair, which made him look like he belonged in an 80's rock band, matched. And the leather overcoat of his was so tattered the ends looked like they were fashioned into spikes. He didn't bother turning around to look at Karasuba. "I'm a guy who would like to get to where he's going without having to tailgate a completely oblivious _vixen_ all night."

"There's no need for name-calling." Karasuba grabbed her nodachi's scabbard. The man turned around, and looked first at the sword, and then to her face. He would have been a living shadow, had it not been for his pale face, and the design on his shirt that made it look like he had been shot in the chest and stomach six times, and was seeping silver blood.

"So, you carry around a sword at all times, and I can clearly see that you view most people as maggots. Or something less." He kept a straight face, showing no emotions other than thinking.

Karasuba grinned at him. "You're right. Something less. Don't you know who you're talking to?"

"Yeah. A silver-haired pompous bitch who thinks she's omnipotent. I would guess that you have a minor god complex." He turned to leave.

Karasuba unsheathed her nodachi. "And I _know_ that you're about to **meet **God!"

He stopped and turned around again. He looked over at her steel blade which was now resting on the side of his neck. Despite his life being in mortal peril, he maintained a detached veneer. "Intereting. You carry a sword around with you at all times. That tells me you are either paranoid... or just plain sadistic and callous, but who am **_I_ **to talk? Personally, I prefer a cavalry blade." He undid the front of his tattered trench-coat and pulled one side away to reveal a scabbard of his own.

"So," she said to him as he unsheathed his own sword and inspected it. "You like to sword fight."

He shook his head and returned the blade to its scabbard. "I merely see it as a way to kill my spare time. But I don't think _you_ like it either. I think you like killing things."

As Karasuba stood in shock because of how easily he had learned the most important thing about her, she finally came aware the pleasurable heat within her. She had found her Ashikabi, and he understood her from the get-go, and he survived her.

_Screw your Disciplinary Ashikabi, Minaka._ She thought to herself_. _She walked over to her destined partner, who looked at her warily. "Since you're still standing, you've earned this: my name is Karasuba."

He raised an eyebrow to his... unusual prize. "My family's name is White."

Karasuba laughed at his ironic name. "If your name is White, why do you dress in nothing but black?"

He gave her a look that told her he was not amused. "Why do you carry around a seven foot long sword everywhere?"

"For a reason you don't need to know… _yet_."

"Then that's your answer, except for the yet part."

"Since you know what my biggest interest is, Mr. White, why don't you enlighten me on yours?"

_Well, she loves killing. How can I be any worse?_ "I enjoy using my experiences and education in psychology and investigation to mentally scar and torture people. True story." He spread a very malicious smile across his visage.

Karasuba now saw why she was destined to be with this possible madman. He loved to make things suffer, and she basked in finishing them off. She leaned in close to his face, and he leaned slightly back. She stared into his eyes. They were the color of pure gold. And in them, she could see the haunting memory of murder.

"I can see it in your eyes. Who did you kill?"

He looked at her in shock and awe. Bu then let out a defeated sigh. "I tore my father's throat out with my teeth."

Karasuba pictured it, and was instantly aroused. "May I ask why?"

He suddenly grew his sadistic smile again. "Because he wouldn't stop yelling at me."

Unable to control her urges any longer, Karasuba put her hands on his shoulders, and brought their faces together for a rough and passionate kiss. As soon as their lips connected, bright wings of grayish-white light formed on her back, and when they separated, the wings slowly faded.

"What the Hell was that?" White asked as he stared at the space where the wings once were.

Feeling a burning sensation between her legs, Karasuba wrapped herself around his arm, and lead him off to the nearest Love Motel they could find. "I'll explain on the way, and in between rounds."

**XXXXXX**

_Thirty-six hours later…_

Karasuba slowly stirred half awake in their room in the Motel. She was lying on top of her Ashikabi, and felt sore in her nether regions. She ran her arm along the side of his body.

_I think I love him. Or at _least_ his pain and craziness._

He told her that his mother had given him the name Zacharias, much to his father's chagrin. He told her everything about him.

About how his father was a drunken addict who would regularly beat his mother and twin sister. One day, Zacharias finally snapped, and bit down on the flesh above his father's carotid artery as hard as he could, and pulled away, and was showered in blood and deafened by screams.

After taking his father's life, he was deemed emotionally unstable, and was put in a mental hospital. While there, he did nothing but read books on how the mind works, hoping to learn why his did what he did, as well as detective stories; this hobby would pay off later on in his life when all the Sherlock Holmes and Perry Mason cases gave him a good eye for detail. Another habit he picked up in Bedlam was practicing isometrics every dat for ten hours. He was let out when he was seventeen, but soon he found out his mother had committed suicide since she was convinced she would never see her only son again. A few weeks later, his sister was murdered, and to this day, there isn't a single clue on who snuffed her. That sent him over the edge, and made him the sociopath he was.

In return, Karasuba told him everything about the Sekirei Plan. How he was now her Ashikabi, and that they were essentially a married couple.

"Well, at least you're hot," he had said to her.

Thinking back on all the horrific things he told her about himself, Karasuba caressed her left hand on one of her favorite parts of him.

**XXXXXX FLASHBACK**

They barged into their room, and tossed off their coats, and made their way to the bed. At once, Karasuba saw a terrifying X-shaped scar that ran along the entire right side of his neck.

"How the fuck did _that_ get on you?" She was intrigued, disgusted, and aroused by it.

He smiled as she ran her hand along it. "I did it myself, as a false target. If you go for my neck, I won't hesitate to rip yours out!" He ran his own hand along the hideous feature. "I'm thinking about making it bigger…"

She stared at him for a moment that seemed to freeze time. Then, without giving him any forewarning, she tackled him, making them both land on the bed with her on top. As he looked up at her with an expression that told her he was waiting for whatever came next, she forced her tongue in his warm mouth, once again making her silver wings manifest on her back.

**XXXXXX**

They walked out into the early sunlight. Karasuba was having a hard time walking, but Zacharias was as agile and energetic as ever. They were discussing what to do next with themselves, when two Sekirei jumped out of nowhere. Zacharias looked at them with interest and slight fear, and Karasuba only gave them a friendly smile. "Benitsubasa and Haihane. What brings the two of you out here?"

The pink-haired one almost screamed out at her. "Minaka's pissed! Where were you yesterday?" While the two women began a near-argument, Zac looked over to the other Sekirei, who was staring at him with a lost look on her face. She was covered completely in bandages, and wore clawed gauntlets on her arms. She shredded black kimono reminded him of the grim reaper. He could instantly tell that the silver-haired woman before him wasn't the sharpest knife on the wall, so he decided to mess with her.

As she continued to stare at him, Zac cocked his head to the left, and gave her a smile that said he was completely out of his mind. Without breaking their gaze, he reached into his pocket and pulled out one of his two lucky charms: a pearl-handled straight-razor with a blade made of the finest surgical steel. It made most scalpels look like butter knives. He flicked it open, and brought it up to his mouth. He ran his tongue along the side of the blade, looking at the Sekirei's blatant confusion. He then turned the razor, and ran the actual blade lightly along his tongue, slicing it open. He spat out the blood that quickly filled his mouth, and looked at the Sekirei. She was almost catatonic. He gave her a smile, which made even more blood flow out through his teeth like waterfalls.


	2. Prison Rules

**A/N:** Truth be told, this part was written at the same time as the first chapter, I just wanted to wait and see what would happen. I wound up getting extremely helpful advice.

Secondly, I know this chapter is kind of short, but if I combined it with the next chapter, which is already done as well, it would have been way too long.

Lastly, this chapter focuses on the OC's instability. In the future, I'm going to follow the advice I was given, and balance the two of them out. I should go revise a few things.

**XXXXXX**

As he watched the reaper Sekirei faint, Zac didn't bother wiping the blood from his skin. He made sure not to cut too deep, and the bleeding would cease in about five minutes. He leaned forward, and looked at the unconscious girl.

"You know," he said to the other two Sekirei. "For an enforcer, she really is unable to coup with the beauty of violence." Karasuba grinned, and the Sekirei he came to conclude was Benitsubasa looked at him like he was a ghost. He didn't blame her.

"Now I see why you choose _him_," she said to Karasuba, who simply continued grinning as her Ashikabi began circling and observing Benitsubasa. She gave him a look that had both anger and curiousness in it. After the fourth time around, Zac came to a halt behind her.

"Based on the way your body spoke as I made my initial observation," he said. "I am going to assume that you feel rather… insecure and self-conscious due to your… _assets_."

She spun around with Hellfire in her eyes. She grabbed the shoulders of his over coat and pulled him down to her level, since he was a great amount taller than her. She glared up at him, and he grinned down at her. Her voice was full of fury. "What makes you think that?"

At that moment, Zac decided that since he had easily gotten into Haihane's head, he would simply amuse himself by royally pissing Benitsubasa. "You know what you look like to me with your flatter-than-a-desert chest and your bad attitude?"

Rather than asking what, she prepared to strangle him, but stopped when she felt the cold metal of a sword on the back of her neck.

"You see? He's got a love for violence, he's deductive, and he's got a sense of humor." Karasuba stated as she rested her nodachi on Benitsubasa. She was determined to protect her semi-psychotic Ashikabi, and watch the city burn at his side.

Benitsubasa's sense of self-preservation made her let go of Zac. She then took a few steps back away from the insane couple. "Anyway, Minaka wants to see you. Both of you." She then leapt off, leaving the two of them alone.

"Since it's still somewhat early, I vote we walk." Karasuba turned and waited for Zac's response

"Agreed."

**XXXXXX**

They were walking across a surprisingly deserted street in silence. Zac was letting his mind wander while Karasuba led them across town. When they were about halfway across, a large car came to a screeching halt inches from them. Neither of them had noticed it coming. The driver looked at them like they were idiots. Karasuba looked back with an annoyed look, and Zac simply gave him a blank stare. After a second of dead silence, Zac pulled out a Desert Eagle handgun from a pocket inside his tattered overcoat, and shot the driver square in the left shoulder.

"Oh, dammit. Stupid glass," he said he returned the gun to inside his coat and hidden. "I was aiming for his heart."

"Well, at least he learned a lesson." Karasuba grinned as they started to walk off nonchalantly. Suddenly, the car's doors opened and an obviously angry voiced shouted at them. "Hey, where do you think you're going?"

"Away from you," Zac grumbled under his breath. They continued walking away, and then a second voice called out.

"Karasuba?"

That made both of them stop. They turned around to see a child of perhaps sixteen and a tall man wearing an orange scarf holding a sword of his own.

Karasuba grinned at the man. "Mutsu, I didn't expect to see you again for a while. And I take it that the brat is your Ashikabi?" He nodded with a look of slight embarrassment.

"Who are you calling a brat?" The kid Ashikabi demanded.

"Watch it, Mikogami," Mutsu told his Ashikabi. "You don't want to get on her bad side, and I don't like the look of her Ashikabi either."

"Why? He's just a trigger-happy freak!"

"You should know," Zac said to the kid he now held an immense hatred towards. "I take great offense to that. Karasuba, kill his Sekirei."

"Alright then." She unsheathed her nodachi, and prepared to fight. "Now we can finally find out which one of us is better with the sword, Mutsu."

"I agree with you on that." He unsheathed his own sword. They ran for each other, and when their swords clashed, it filled the area with a deafening echo. They soon were jumping all around the street, trying to harm each other. Zac could tell that Karasuba was slowly but surely gaining the upper hand. He looked over to Mikogami, and saw that he was completely absorbed in the fight. Zac took this opportunity to stroll over to him.

"You know," he began as he pretended to watch the fight as well. "A fight is always the best distraction."

"Distraction for what?" Mikogami asked as he broke his focus on the battle to face Zac.

"So that, at least in this case, I can tell you a few things about winning wars." He began digging around one of his coat's outside pockets, and grasped onto what he was looking for. "Lesson One…" His hand darted out of his pocket, and slashed his trust razor across the front of Mikogami's neck. "Always watch your back. Or in this case, your… _neck_." Zac began laughing as blood sprayed onto his face and Mikogami fell backwards. He reveled licking the blood around his lips, and basked in their their unique taste. He then cupped one hand and placed it below his long black hair, and ran another hand along it, so he eventually gained a handful of plasma. He put it down his throat, and then heard a disturbingly monotonic voice.

"Master, are you still alive?"

He looked down, and saw a woman kneeling down over Mikogami, somehow putting a sheet of ice over the gash in his neck. She had sad gray eyes, and chains around her cleavage and chest. Her face showed no emotion. _That_ caught Zac's attention.

_How can she be so stoic? Karasuba told me about her, the Discarded number. She's useless. She was infected with everything the scientists could think of. She cannot be winged. How can she remain so emotionless? Was she somehow able to repress all emotion and feeling out of her system?_

Zac began to get off on the thoughts of getting in her head and learning everything about her. But there was another matter at hand.

"He'll live. Believe me; I do that to myself a few times a year." She looked up to him, and he presented his scar to her. She then looked back down to her master with a hint of hope in her eyes. Zac took this opportunity to begin breaking her. He wound up his leg, and kicked her right in the Sekirei Symbol on her forehead. Even though he had used a fraction of his strength, it was enough to send her onto her back. He then stood over her.

"You know, since this game obviously goes by Prison Rules…" He dropped himself down so that he was able to grab onto her and hoist her up. "Technically, you're _mine_ now."

She opened her eyes as a small stream of blood fell from the middle of the Symbol on her forehead. She still showed no emotion. This made Zac all the more excited to break her down. He put their foreheads together and spoke in his raspy voice. "It rubs the lotion on its skin…" He slid his head to the side and almost seductively whispered into her ear. "Or else it gets the hose again."

He tossed her aside and walked off with a malicious grin on his face, positive of two things: the pathetic excuse of an Ashikabi would wake up to find a horrendous scar under his chin, and Karasuba would appear from above and land right next to him.

**XXXXXX**

Two minutes later, Karasuba appeared at his side and wrapped herself around his arm.

"Ah, there you are," he said as they continued towards the Tower. "How did it go?"

"He called it off after he felt a horrible pain. He thought his Ashikabi was in trouble. And judging by your face, I'm guessing he was right." They both laughed uncontrollably, but then a thought came to Zac, and he turned to Karasuba.

"Hey, didn't we leave Haihane unconscious in the street?"

**XXXXXX**

**A/N:** You may notice that I tend to either humiliate, or mutilate Mikogami. The reason is simple: I hate him.

Also, if any of you get the movie references in this chapter, I'll be extremely impressed.


	3. The One Lesson He Taught Me

**A/N:** This chapter isn't as nearly as dark and graphic as the other one. Think of it as a filler. Because all Hell is going to break loose.

**XXXXXX**

Minaka and Natsuo were waiting in the former's office for Karasuba to arrive. They had been told that the reason she had missed the designated time to be winged by the Disciplinary Ashikabi was because she had spent a day and a half in a Love Motel with a 'crazy freak' as Benitsubasa called him.

_Why would she spend leisure and intimate time with a fellow human? _He thought to himself. _Ever since I've known her, she's only been interested in killing anything that moved._

"Hello Minaka." They both looked over at the door and saw Karasuba walking towards them. "I was told that you wanted to see me?"

"Yes," he said as he stood up. "I've been told that you have been winged by a complete psychopath by the way I was told."

She grinned at him. "I wouldn't say 'complete', but he does have that weirdness to him. And I think I love him for that part of him."

"So you basically ignored one of the most important parts of the entire Plan, just to find an outlet for yourself?"

She merely grinned at him.

Minaka leaned back and thought hard for a long moment. "I suppose fate brought this man to us. Would it be possible for me to make his acquaintance?"

"I thought you'd want to meet him as soon as you could," Karasuba responded. "So that's why he's waiting for you on the roof."

"Well," Minaka said he grew a look of slight shock. "That's… good."

"But let me warn you." Karasuba's grin grew to a sadistic smile. "If you even think about hurting him, or having him locked up, or having him taught a lesson, I will not hesitate to torture you to no end."

**XXXXXX**

Zacharias stood on the edge of the roof of MBI tower, looking down to the ground far below him. He thought back to his days in the hospital, and how whenever he earned a small reward for being obedient, he asked to go out onto the roof. There, he would often imagine his mother on the ground below, with her arms wide open and waiting to catch him as he contemplated throwing himself off the roof and towards her.

"I cannot fathom why I was so weak and pathetic back then." He was sickened by himself as a child. "Why would I want to end it all, when there so much to burn, and so many to drive to suicide?" Suddenly something caught his eye on the rooftops below. He shifted his vision to see a Sekirei, since it was leaping from roof to roof. It had long blonde hair, and a long black coat. "Hello, who are you?" He asked mostly to himself. There was something about her that he liked.

"Good to see you decided to stand still for once." He turned around to see Karasuba and who he assumed was Minaka and another man walking towards him. When they reached him, Karasuba walked over to his side and wrapped herself around him.

"So, you are Karasuba's Ashikabi," Minaka stated as he looked up and down Zacharias, inspecting him.

"Is that a problem to you?" Zac prepared his hand to grab his razor.

"Not at all," Minaka excitedly shouted. "The gods have brought you to us for the reason of you and the Black Sekirei are meant for each other."

"Oh, so he's crazy," Zac whispered into Karasuba's ear.

"You're one to talk," she responded with a grin.

"I know." He then turned to Minaka. "If you're done prattling about nonsense, I'm all ears."

Minaka was taken aback by the Ashikabi's statement, but quickly let it go to focus on keeping him and his Sekirei around. He knew that if Karasuba turned against him, there was next to nothing he could do about it. "Of course. I assume that you are aware that Karasuba is without a doubt one of the most deadly Sekirei there is." Zac nodded. "Excellent. That saves us some time. Anyway, since she possesses immense power, I planned to have her as the leader of the Discipline Squad, and to be winged by our colleague, Natsuo."

The other man, Natsuo, gave Zac a friendly gesture and smile. "Nice to meet you."

"The pleasure's all yours," Zac said. He looked back to Minaka. "So are you going to get to a point sometime this century?"

"Oh, of course. As I was saying, she obviously cannot be winged by Natsuo, since you are her Ashikabi. And that means that my original intent of having the entire Discipline Squad share a single Ashikabi is dead. So I was merely wondering, since you are now a part of the Sekirei Plan, what do you plan to do in it?"

"Simple…" Zac put a grin on his lips. "I plan to WIN!"

Minaka breathed a sigh of relief. "Excellent. Since you plan on staying around for the Game, may I offer to stack the deck in your favor?"

Zacharias raised an interested eyebrow, and gestured for Minaka to continue talking.

"You see, if you and Karasuba join the Discipline Squad, you won't technically have to participate for the majority of the Game. And since the Discipline Squad is the most feared Sekirei in the entire Plan, no other Sekirei would be stupid enough to attack you. I'm offering to let both you and Natsuo be the Disciplinary Ashikabi of the Sekirei Plan. Do we have a deal, Mr. Zacharias?" He offered his hand to Zac

Zac thought it over before deciding whether or not to take it and seal the bargain. If they wouldn't have to participate, that meant that Karasuba wouldn't kill as many Sekirei as she would if they did play the game. On the other hand, they wouldn't be constantly harassed by annoying Ashikabi like the brat that almost bled to death not one hour ago. Plus, they would have _power_. All his life, Zac wanted to have complete, tyrannical power and undisputed authority over living things. Then his mind wandered over to the blonde Sekirei he watched disappear from his sight a minute ago. He then came up with a very complex plan in a matter of seconds.

"Before we seal our deal," he said. "I would like to make a few… requests, so to speak."

Minaka nodded his head with approval. "Whatever you need, we can provide."

_I wouldn't say I _need_ them._

"Okay, firstly, I would like to add another Sekirei to my cache."

"I see no problem there, but may I ask why?"

"It's only in fairness. Natsuo has two, so why can't I? Secondly, I'm going to need a few tools. Guns, knives, you know."

Again Minaka agreed to Zacharias' terms.

"And lastly…" He removed his overcoat and tossed it into Minaka's hands. "I want that to be covered with chainmail armor on the outside. Never mind the reason why."

Minaka looked at the overcoat, and then slowly raised his head with a wide smile on his face.

"What's so funny?" Karasuba asked.

Minaka focused his attention to Zacharias. "You already know which Sekirei you intend to wing."

"Not as dull as you look." Zacharias smiled back at him. "Also, we should talk about your Napoleon Complex issues sometime."

**XXXXXX**

"Could you please tell me what we're doing here again, Zac?" Karasuba asked him as he continued looking through the scope of the empty sniper rifle he had grabbed before they left the Tower. He said it was more threatening than binoculars.

"We are here," he said without removing himself from his gun. "Because this is the area that Sekirei I intend to make a member of our Squad is mostly seen, and I'm merely following the one lesson my degenerative derelict of a father taught me."

Karasuba was surprised he was following advice given to him from the person he hated most in this world. "What did he teach you?"

Zac let out a long sigh of pleasure, and removed his eye from the scope and looked to the distance. "About a week before my… liberation, he took me on a hunting trip. We sat in a secluded spot for hours, and eventually, I asked him why we were sitting around waiting. He turned to me and that if you want to catch your prey, you have to be on their turf without them knowing, and then strike right when the two of you are in the heart of their home. There, they believe that they have the advantage, when in all reality, location gives no edge. They become arrogant, and arrogance always leads to downfall."

"Wow." Karasuba was impressed. Zac's father had taught him about battling that even she didn't know.

"Yeah. So he wasn't a _complete_ waste of space." He returned to looking through the scope. After about ten minutes he shouted out in excitement. "Ah-ha!" He took his face away from the gun and looked out. Karasuba stopped sharpening her sword, and walked up next to him. They both looked out at the rooftops, and eventually, she saw the blonde Sekirei he was basically hunting down leaping from roof to roof.

"Beautiful, isn't she?" Zac asked as he again raised the gun up to his face to get a closer look. "Like a one-of-a-kind diamond."

Karasuba didn't answer. _I'm not sure I like this idea any more. I think Zac is being subconsciously seduced._ She then felt a slight fit of anger and jealousy towards the other Sekirei as she watched Zacharias lick his lips with arousal.

Suddenly, his face of glee was replaced with one of confusion. "That's funny." He lowered the gun. "She stopped. I wonder if she saw us."

A jet of water then crashed into his chest, sending him flying back ten feet, and skidding to a halt on the opposite side of the roof. Karasuba ran over to him and kneeled down to make sure nothing was broken inside of him.

He groaned as he lifted his upper body up. "Yeah, she saw us."

At the end of the roof where they once stood, the blonde Sekirei appear with an extremely aggravated look on her face.

Zac grinned at what was about to come. "Are you ready for this, Karasuba?"


	4. Lights Out

Tsukiumi looked over to the Ashikabi dressed completely in black that she had just forced back with a water attack. His blade-wielding Sekirei was kneeling at his side, and he was sitting up and smiling at her.

"Hello there," he said. He was so casual, it got under her skin.

"Why are you stalking me, you filthy monkey?" She shouted out in her naturally aggravated tone.

"I wouldn't call it stalking," his Sekirei said. She unsheathed her sword. "And I wouldn't dare call him a monkey." She grinned at Tsukiumi with a disturbing grin.

"Why would you defend him so?" Tsukiumi demanded. "He is an Ashikabi, and all they wish to do is use their Sekirei as tools and violate them!"

The duo facing her laughed out loud. "I think you're a little misinformed and confused," the Sekirei said. "If anything, I violated him."

"True story." The Ashikabi then lifted himself up and was standing. "But anyway, I'm not here to violate you. I simply wish to make a proposition for you."

"Whatever it is, I answer with NO!" She then sent another forceful stream towards the Ashikabi. Before it could hit him, his Sekirei jumped in front of him, and slashed her sword at the water. It parted into two streams, and flew away on either side of them.

"Nobody but ME attacks my Ashikabi!"

"Oh, that's comforting," the Ashikabi sarcastically responded.

Instead of saying something back to him, his Sekirei put a malicious grin on her lips, tightened the grip she had on her long sword, and ran towards Tsukiumi faster than lightning. Before she complete another attack, Tsukiumi felt an extreme pain in her lower stomach. She looked down and saw the hilt of the sword was sticking out of her body. She looked up to meet the gaze of the silver-haired Sekirei's blood-red irises and sadistic smile.

"Lights out," the swordswoman whispered. She then grasped her sword, and roughly yanked it out of Tsukiumi.

She staggered back a few steps, placing her hands over the hole in her body. She looked and saw that the Sekirei was smiling at her as she wiped the blood off of her sword. She glanced at the Ashikabi, and much to her surprise, he had a look of shock and disgust.

"Karasuba…" he shivered.

So that is why she was so powerful. Tsukiumi thought as she struggled to remain awake. She's Number 4. She then lost what strength was keeping her standing, and fell onto her back.

"What did you DO?" She heard the Ashikabi scream. He suddenly appeared over her, a look of extreme worry on his face. He began cursing as he frantically looked at her wound, and all around. She slowly lost the strength to keep her eyes open, and to stay conscious.

XXXXXX

Two days… Karasuba thought to herself as she looked through the MBI Hospital window into the room of Zacharias and the blonde Sekirei they were told was named Tsukiumi. For two days now, he's been watching her whenever he can. Is he angry with me? I wouldn't blame him. I almost ruined everything for him. Why did I attack her so suddenly? I knew Zac wanted to wing her and make her a part of the Discipline Squad. Was I jealous of her turning Zac on?

She looked through the window again after clearing her thoughts. Tsukiumi was still unconscious, and Zac was sitting at the side of her hospital bed, playing with a butterfly knife and staring off into space. Karasuba felt some relief with what information she had recently learned. While he was spending all his time looking at the unconscious Water Sekirei, Karasuba did some research to see why he was acting so… humble. She found out that people similar to him would at times develop obsessions with certain people or things, but randomly lose all interest in them.

That's a relief. Soon, I'll be the one with his undivided attention. I am the one who deserves it.

XXXXXX

Tsukiumi slowly regained her senses, and heard a rapid noise similar to ticking. She slowly opened her eyes, and saw the Ashikabi from the last time she was awake leaning on the window sill, using his left arm to support his body while his right hand was toying with a knife. He was lacking his huge coat, and she was shocked to see a purple and red X running along the right side of his neck. She at first felt her anger building up, but then she remembered how he had reacted when the Black Sekirei impaled her.

He seemed shocked and disgusted by her actions. He ran over to my body, and tried desperately to find a way of assistance for me.

She tried to sit up, but the pain in her stomach was too much, and she fell back and let out a groan. The noise she made was enough to grab the Ashikabi's attention, and looked back at her and cocked his head to the side.

"You…" She tried to speak, but that was a feat as well, so she simply gestured for him to approach her. He came over and sat down in a chair next to her bed. "You could have let me die, so you and Number 4 would be one step closer to victory. Why didn't you?"

"Because I want you to survive for a long while." That caught her off guard. "My proposition that I attempted to tell you was that the Discipline Squad is searching for another member, and I got to choose which Sekirei would receive the honor." He bent the truth to her, not wanting to sound like a total freak, which would not help in the long run.

"Why would you pick me, though?" Tsukiumi noticed the pleasuring heat within her body. She was reacting to this weird man who had saved her life.

She watched his golden eyes look around the room as he tried to come up with an answer. I can't really say. But I know that I'm feeling something I haven't felt in almost twenty years."

That was enough for her, she reached over to him, and he knew what she wanted him to do. He lowered his face down to hers. "Then I, Sekirei Number 9, Tsukiumi, recognize you as my Ashikabi, and I accept your proposal, now and forever." Their lips met, and bright wings of blue light filled the entire room. When they separated from each other, Zac gave his second Sekirei a confused look.

"What exactly do you mean by 'proposal'?"

"Yes, proposal. I am now not only your Sekirei, but also your wife." She gave him a confident smile, and he pictured himself waking up in a bed every morning with two extremely attractive and buxom women who swore undying allegiance and love to him.

His face grew a perverse smile. "Nice."

XXXXXX

After another few days in the hospital, Tsukiumi had completely healed due to the advanced medical technology of MBI and the Sekirei's natural accelerated healing. She made her way up the Tower towards the suite that her husband and his other Sekirei were living in. When she walked in, she first saw her husband sitting down on a couch, surfing through the channels on the flat screen in front of him whilst playing with a straight razor. Much to her chagrin, she saw his other Sekirei lying down across his lap. To distract herself and clear her head, she looked around the rest of the room. One wall was decorated with several guns and swords, and someone had painted the word 'duality' in red on the ceiling. As she continued looking around the strangely decorated room, she made her way to her husband and his concubine, as was the way she saw her.

"Truly, you are anything but normal." She sat down next to Zac, who then smiled and put his arm around her shoulders.

"Oh, but my dear Tsukiumi, what fun is there in being normal?" He leaned over and kissed her. She felt an almost orgasmic heat coarse throughout her entire body. She then leaned in and rested her head on his shoulder.

"I suggest that we don't get too comfortable just yet," Karasuba said without opening her eyes. "I plan on going out and seeing a friend shortly."

"Friend?" Tsukiumi and Zac asked in unison. Neither of them would have ever imagined that Karasuba of all people would actually have a friend. She nodded.

A few minutes later, they were making their way out the door, when Karasuba grabbed onto Zac's shoulder. "You forgot to turn of the television, Zac." He looked at it, and sure enough it was still on. He observed it for a second, then pulled out a revolver from an internal pocket of his overcoat, and shot the screen to bits.

He smiled approvingly at his work, and returned the gun to its pocket. "Dilemma solved."

XXXXXX

As the trio made their way across town, Zac and Tsukiumi couldn't help but wonder where Karasuba was leading them. Nor could they wrap their heads around the fact that whoever they were meeting was referred to as a 'friend' by the bloodthirsty woman.

She's probably just looking for a random person to end, Zac thought. I find it somewhat impossible to even imagine her being friendly with another living thing besides myself. Then again, a week ago, I couldn't fathom myself feeling… at peace inside slightly.

Suddenly, two twin sisters appeared from above, and blocked their path. They looked almost exactly alike and were wearing leather S&M outfits. Zac noted that the only physical difference he could see between them was one's bust size was exponentially bigger than the other's.

"Can we help you?" He asked them.

"Do not bother helping them in anyway," Tsukiumi said with obvious rage. "All they do is attack."

"Yeah, but at least we're smart about our attacks," the twin with the larger chest stated.

Zac was then interested to learn on why they thought their strategy was formidable. "Two questions," he started. "Who are you two, and why do you see yourselves as smart?"

The twin with fewer assets answered him. "I am Number 12, Hibiki, and you've met my sister, Number 11, Hikari."

"And we're smart," Hikari butted in. "Because we're getting in some practice before the real battle begins, and we make sure we don't lose by hunting down unwinged Sekirei."

Zac now had all the information he needed to know the two sisters. He smiled wickedly. "I can see your point," he said to the twins, who looked at him in disbelief. "Cowardly garbage such as yourselves always needs extra training for when you get hunted down and killed like the rabid dogs you are."

Zac then found himself being held by one of his shoulders by Hikari as she made purple lightning crackle in her open palm. "You're gonna regret saying that."

"You'll be even more regretful if you don't put him down." Karasuba unsheathed her nodachi, and the air around the group condensed as Tsukiumi made four large snakes made entirely out of water appear around her. Hikari looked at the two fierce Sekirei ready to kill her in seconds. After some begging by her sister, she let go of Zac.

"Good girl," he said as he patted her head a few times, insulting her even further. "Since you're rather smart at the moment, I'll explain my statement from earlier to you. You are cowards because you only fight when the deck is stacked entirely in your favor. You're garbage because you relentlessly hunt down unwinged Sekirei, thus preventing them from ever even finding their Ashikabi. And you are rabid dogs due to the fact that it's blatant that you two always start the fights."

The Lightning twins looked at Zacharias completely blown away by what could either be his logic or his madness. They then looked at each other, and then leapt away over the rooftops.

"They really are garbage aren't they?" Tsukiumi asked as they once again took off to wherever Karasuba's so-called friend was. Fate gave them another detour when their path was once again blocked by a Sekirei once again. Except this time, Zacharias recognized her. There before him was the Ice Sekirei, with her emotionless face and symbol on her forehead. She looked like she were on a mission, and he knew why.

XXXXXX FLASHBACK XXXXXX

The hospital room was dead silent and dark. Mikogami was lying down in his soft, cushiony hospital bed. He had lost nearly half his blood yesterday. That psycho just up and sliced him open for no reason. He had made all his Sekirei scourge the city to find him. Even though it was the middle of the night, and he had nearly died, Mikogami couldn't sleep. Too many thoughts were flooding his head. And the silence was driving him crazy.

"Hi, Miko." A disembodied and raspy voice echoed through the room. Mikogami's eyes snapped open, which was pointless since the room was pitch-black. He then sat up and looked around, which he failed to see was also pointless.

"Who's there?" He desperately called out.

"I'm here," the ghostly voice responded.

"Who are you?" Mikogami almost screamed.

The terrifying voice then only sounded in his left ear. "I'm your uncle Bingo." Suddenly, the lights inside the room snapped on, and Mikogami was blinded by the sudden change for a second. When he looked over, he was so filled up with shock and terror he couldn't make a single sound. Smiling sadistically down at him was the Ashikabi who had nearly taken his life. And in his left hand, he flicked open the razor. It was polished clean. "Time to cash the check…"


	5. Warm Memories

"Heard you had a little bit a hassle last week," head MBI researcher Takami said as she lit a cigarette. She and Zacharias were on the roof of MBI Tower with Minaka, who was standing on the ledge, yelling about something neither of them could care less about at the moment.

"No," Zac replied in an irritated but sarcastic tone. "I merely shoved an icicle as thick as a golf ball into my stomach because I thought it would be fun!"

She grinned at him. "That actually does sound like something you would do."

"Shut up." He raised his hand to his mouth and coughed weakly into it. He pulled it away and saw red droplets on him. "Of course…" He rolled his eyes.

"Don't worry," Takami said, eying his blood. "That should stop. Eventually."

"I am going to KILL that _icy cunt!"_ He shook his head roughly for a few moments to vent some of his anger out, and then turned his attention back to his idiotic 'boss'. "So are the two of you still together?" He asked Takami while still looking at Minaka.

She looked at his straight face in total shock. She was tempted to lie to him, tell him he was wrong. But both of them _knew_ he wasn't. "No," she stated firmly. "But how did you figure that out?"

"The way he actually responds when you talk to him. Tell me, do the two of you… _share_ something?" He turned his face to her, and gave her a rather dark grin.

Not wanting to tell a pointless lie, nor tell him too much, she came up with an ultimatum. "You're the smart one. You figure it out."

"Don't worry…" He turned around and began walking. "I have every intention to."

"Where are you going?" Takami called after him, making sure to get his plan said to her before warning her son.

"I'm going to go and get the little girl you lost while I was away."

"Why?"

He stopped dead in his tracks, and turned his shoulders and neck to face her. He gave her a dark smile of his own. "You're the Head Researcher. _You_ figure it out."

**XXXXXX**

He slammed open the door to his and his Sekirei's apartment in the tower. Both of them were waiting for him.

"What did Minaka want?" Tsukiumi asked.

"I don't know. I wasn't listening, nor did I give a damn. Anyway, it's convenient that you two are all set, because we're going out."

"Out to where?" Karasuba asked, wearing her signature haunting grin.

"Depends on what's there when we get to it." He grinned himself.

**XXXXXX**

"Now _this_ is intriguing!" Zac said as he and his Sekirei looked down to the now destroyed gate of the botanical gardens. He was holding Tsukiumi back from charging, since they were looking at the Sekirei who had sent an icy spear into him, and she wanted to teach her a lesson. Karasuba wanted to do the same, but wasn't as determined to do it. She had simply drawn her nodachi. All three of them observed her battle a Sekirei whose power appeared to be fire-related.

"Fire and ice," Zac exclaimed. "It's a war of the opposites. The negatives. It is the _embodiment _of the coin about to show which side is dominant."

"Yara yara, Zac-chan. It actually is rather amusing to watch." Karasuba looked at the battle with a smile.

"We shouldn't be standing here!" Tsukiumi shouted to her. "We should be attacking her without mercy for harming Zacharias!"

"Oh don't worry, my deadly darling," he said to her in a seductive voice, catching her attention. She stopped trying to fight her way past him. "She will pay dearly for her excessive idiotic choices with her entire _existence_. But if she's here, that means that her master as she calls him has one less matter of protection." He smiled evilly at her.

**XXXXXX**

Mikogami was finally being discharged from his hospital room, but he didn't feel any better. He looked into the hand mirror he had been given the day after Zacharias paid him a late night visit and 'cashed his check'. Mikogami now had a hideous scar of his own. It was an enormous V that began on both ends of his forehead, and made straight lines until they met in the middle of his chin. It just barely missed crossing over his eyes and lips. He was disgusted by it. How did that maniac enjoy having that horrendous X on his neck so much? Why did he enjoy flaunting it to the world?

"We are going to have to call Tokyo's most talented plastic surgeon, Yomi," he said to the Sekirei that was guarding him. After their last encounter, Mikogami made sure to always have one Sekirei around him while the rest of them were out searching for unwinged Sekirei to be brought back to him.

Yomi didn't respond to him.

"Yomi?" He asked as he turned around. He wished he hadn't. There was his protection Yomi, standing before him with empty eyes. And a sword was sticking out of her chest. When it exited her body, she fell forward, and revealed Karasuba standing beside her. He was frozen with fear.

"My Ashikabi would like to speak with you." She gave him a nightmarish smile.

"Indeed I do," Zacharias said as he strolled into the room with Tsukiumi next to him. He looked down at the Sekirei's corpse at his feet. "Such a disappointment. I figured she would at least _notice_ Karasuba before she died." He put his gaze back to his rival.

"Why do you insist on tormenting me?" he barely managed to shiver.

"Because you need to have your eyes opened. Let me make a wild guess at your life. Your rich out of the ass and Daddy is never around. Am I in the ballpark?"

Mikogami looked at him in amazement. "How did you-"

"Shut up!" Zac snapped. But then he took on his casual tone again. "Anyway, you are constantly…"

**XXXXXX**

**A/N:** I was going to put in Zacharias' monologue of how Mikogami is wasting away his life, but I figured it was too dark, even for this. If any of you want, I'll update this chapter later and add in the psychiatric torment portion that I'm skipping over for now.

**XXXXXX**

"…And at that moment, I guarantee you'll realize just how alone and worthless you really are." Zacharias pulled out a cigarette and lit it. He didn't smoke, but he needed the cigarette for his next step. He looked at Mikogami carefully, and Zac knew that he had finally broken the brat.

"That was…" Tsukiumi tried to come up with the words that could accurately describe her opinion on her husband's evaluation of their adversary.

"Intense and dark," Karasuba finished for her.

Zac nodded approvingly. He then pulled out a small wine bottle out of an internal pocket of his overcoat, which had since been covered in chainmail armor, as was his request. "Let's have a toast, my dears." He popped the cork right into Mikogami's face. He didn't move at all. Zacharias smiled at his handy work, and walked up next to his rival.

"Mikogami, you thorn in my side, let us drink to…" He raised the bottle over his head, and smashed in onto Mikogami's skull. That brought him back to reality.

_What the Hell? He didn't have to go and… Wait a second. This isn't wine. Is this…?_

Zacharias smiled at the confusions on his foe's face. He pulled the lit cigarette out of his mouth and looked at it. "To warm memories." He flicked it towards Mikogami.

The screams alone were enough to make up for all the trouble he had gone through to get into the room quietly.

**XXXXXX**

As the three of them walked out of the ER's front doors, they heard Mikogami finally stop howling.

"I guess he finally noticed the fire extinguisher next to the door," Karasuba said dryly.

"Perhaps," Zacharias said. "Now we simply wait for the cold-bringing bitch to arrive." He looked up to the sky. "Well speak of the Devil."

She dropped down in front of them.

"So," Zac said to her emotionless face. "Have you come on a suicide run, or are you finally going to take up on my offer?"

"What offer?" Tsukiumi asked. She had no idea that her Ashikabi had made an approach to his would-be murderer.

"Simple," he responded without looking away from Akitsu. "This game goes by Prison Rules, and since I just annihilated her former master, that makes her mine now." He then began speaking to Akitsu. "So what's it gonna be, my cold-hearted assailant? Us or death?"

"You almost killed my master," she said without a single hint of either anger or relief. "And you said I was yours, and your voice didn't seem to resent that. So I choose to be yours… Master."

Zac had a look of satisfaction, and Tsukiumi lost her grip. "Are you even thinking?" She shouted to Zacharias. "She almost killed you! She can't be trusted around you! Who's to say she won't avenge Mikogami?"

Zac pondered on her points for a second, and then walked over to Akitsu. He caressed her face lightly. "You wouldn't be stupid enough to try and kill me would you?" She shook her head. "Excellent. I say welcome home, Akitsu. However, I must agree with Tsukiumi. I am not sure if I can fully trust you. So I think it would be better if you looked more like me."

Akitsu looked down to his neck, and understood what he wanted to do. She tilted her head back, exposing her soft, pale neck. "As you wish, Master."

He chuckled. "Oh, I'm not going to do that." She looked at him, secretly confused. He gently took her hand, and then roughly put the straight razor in her palm. "_YOU are."_


	6. Changes

_Three weeks later…_

"Amazing," Zacharias said mostly to himself as he stared out the glass wall of the current floor of MBI Tower he was on. "Just… amazing."

In the last weeks that had passed, several massive changes had occurred. Akitsu had obediently carved an X into the skin of her left cheek. One line went from beside her eye to the back corner of her jaw, and the other one ran from right below her ear to the corner of her lips. She never gave a sign of pain, which interested Zac greatly. After they returned to the Tower he made haste to get her to tell him EVERYTHING about herself. Whenever she did, he treated it like a session of therapy, even going as far as to record the entire conversation.

She told about how she was picked as the test subject for perfecting the winging process, and they had infected her with every disease known to man. They wanted to see what affected the Sekirei race in what ways. They also put every drug on Earth into her system, even uncut heroin and massive amounts of morphine and oxycontin. By the time they were done with her, she was so messed up that her DNA was basically a septic tank. They had broken her, and she could never have her Ashikabi.

While she silently cried over her past, Zacharias found himself amused by it.

_She's so weak. I look forward to breaking the foundation of her personality, which won't be hard at all._

With Akitsu now his, he made it clear right from the get-go that he viewed her lower than Karasuba and Tsukiumi. He wouldn't approach her almost at all unless he wanted to hear another horrific memory of her times in the labs to have a small laugh, or to ask if she wished to have a session with him. She always told him something he had either never heard, or had probably forgotten. As for the sessions, she always said yes without hesitation. She wanted to impress her Master, or satisfy him. And since he had Karasuba and Tsukiumi to have pleasures with, she relied on getting him off with her memories that belonged in a horror movie.

Changes had happened to all four of them. Akitsu found herself in a new environment with a Master who didn't just use her as a tool. He found her as a way to make himself as emotionless as possible. She liked to think he really wanted to help her get over her past.

Zacharias had taken on the guise of what he called a 'villainous punk.' He normally wore the black shirt he had worn the night he met Karasuba, tattered black jeans, custom-made black cowboy boots with steels spurs on them. The newest installments to his getup were leather fingerless gloves, and mirrored aviators, though they were somewhat redundant since his unkempt and somewhat spiky bangs covered his eyes. To complete himself, he stopped shaving a certain part of his face, and now donned a soul patch that was the same nightmarish black as his hair.

And as a final 'screw you' to his family, he had legally changed his name to a man he had read about whilst in the Hospital; a man who fascinated him to no end. And now the two of them shared a surname: Flagg.

Tsukiumi was always angry when Zacharias was in the same presence as Akitsu. The tsundere Sekirei didn't like the Icy One _**AT ALL**_**.** She would often attempt to persuade Zac to get rid of her, throw her out onto the streets where garbage like her belonged, or at least allow her to kill the Discarded Number. Every time, he wouldn't hear anything of it. She was at least relieved by the fact that her 'husband' refused to let Akitsu share his bed with him. That honor went to her, and much to her anger, Karasuba. She truly did love her Ashikabi and husband, and almost everything about him: his joy of fighting and violence. His willingness to assert his authority to make others follow the rules. Everything about him, she adored, except one. The single thing she wasn't aroused by was his… indifference to the lives of others except Karasuba's and her won. She wasn't sure how he felt about Akitsu. Deep down, she hoped he viewed the Broken One as expendable.

Karasuba was the one who had remained the most of the same out of the four of them. She still loved killing, and her demented Ashikabi. She still made rough carnal love with him every night, though she would always end up arguing and playfully fighting with Tsukiumi over who got to have him first, and as a result they sometimes wound up in reluctant threesomes. She didn't want to hurt the blonde Sekirei; she merely wanted to make Zacharias faint from exhaustion on her own.

**XXXXXX**

The four of them were currently alone on one of the floors of the Tower that was nothing but an inside resort, with a gigantic pool, and an open bar. Tsukiumi and Karasuba were currently swimming around in the heated water, keeping one eye on the other two.

Akitsu was sitting down in a cushioned arm-chair, have one of her sessions with Zacharias Flagg, as what he was now named. He was standing up beside the chair, his hands behind his back and he was staring out the window. Akitsu had learned that when he was not looking at you, it meant he was listening intently, taking in every detail and memorizing every syllable you said to him. And if he **was** looking at you, it most likely meant he was either zoning out in a sadistic fantasy, or thinking of ways to kill you.

Without looking away from his view of the city, he spoke to Akitsu. "Tell me, how did it feel? Putting the mark on yourself?"

"I… honestly cannot think of words to accurately describe it, Master," she answered with complete honesty. "If I may ask, how did you feel when you put the X on your neck?"

Behind his shades, he closed his eyes, tilted his head back, basked, and let out a long pleasurable sigh. _**"Fangasmic."**_

"May I ask another question, Master?"

Zacharias let out a laugh. "Shoot."

"Do you view as me as an equal to Karasuba-sama and Tsukiumi-sama?"

He turned to her. "Honestly no. And it's not because of your… condition, per se. It's more so your lack of enthusiasm in… well, everything. I'm the sort of guy who likes to speak out his feelings, and to see others do the same. Examples: when I met Karasuba, she didn't hold back at all what she liked to do, which is kill people. It's not my cup of tea, but I was respectful of her enthusiasm towards her interest. Tsukiumi, when we first encountered one another, spoke her opinions and intentions without hesitation. Later, she told me exactly what she thinks about us, and I love her for it. With you, it's hard to tell what's on you."

"Will your opinion of me ever climb?" She asked with a hint of desperation.

**XXXXXX**

Karasuba heard what Akitsu had asked Zac.

"Well, I think she's had him for long enough today," she said under her breath. With a slight smile, she began to undo the top of her gray bikini.

**XXXXXX**

Since Akitsu had willingly put his mark permanently on her face, Zacharias decided to be entirely honest with her. "I suppose it can, and probably will, if you-" He stopped talking when he felt something light and wet land on his shoulder. Reaching up with his hand and grabbing it, his presented himself with the gray top of a swimsuit. He looked over to the pool, and saw Karasuba with a very seductive face. With one arm, she was covering her ample and bare chest, and with the other, she was beckoning him to join her. Tsukiumi looked at her with fuming rage, and began to undo her own top as well, not willing to be outdone.

Looking at the two goddesses yearning for his attention, Zacharias clicked his tongue on his teeth, removed his aviators, and began to undo the restraints on his skin-tight gloves. He spoke in an incredibly calm and level-headed voice.

"As I was saying, you can improve my opinion of you…" He passed her his gloves and shades. She caught them, not wanting to cause damage to her master's belongings. "You just got to get it crackin'." He gave her a perverse smile, and then ran over and jumped into the water with his two Sekirei.

_I don't feel so hopeless anymore. _Akitsu thought to herself._Granted I don't know specifically what he wants me to do, but at least he confirmed that I have a chance. Get it cracking…_


	7. How We Treat Them

Maison Izumo.

That was what the sign said on the gate of the Inn where Karasuba's so-called friend lived with her Ashikabi and his other Sekirei (the data at MBI told them that he was the one who had winged the Green Girl.) Zacharias found himself standing at the opening of the wall that surrounded the building with his two Sekirei and Akitsu.

"This place has a powerful aura to it," Zac said as the four of them made their way to the door.

"Powerful couldn't be more fitting," Karasuba said to him as she wrapped herself around his left arm. When she saw this, Tsukiumi got a look of anger on her face and pressed his right arm into her massive bosom. Akitsu wanted him to embrace her too. She wanted her newest master to love her like his Sekirei. To sleep with and make love to her every night like he did with his actual Sekirei. Every time he touched her , she felt a very pleasurable heat on the area where their skin had touched, and she wanted that heat to engulf her.

Karasuba knocked on the large door, and the four of them waited a moment for someone to answer. Their call was answered by a dark-haired teen. He looked at the four of them with nervousness and surpirise. He looked to Karasuba and her empty grin, then to Zac, or more accuratley, the scar, then to Tsukiumi and her naturally irritated visage. He didn't notice Akitsu standing behind them.

"We're looking for my friend Mu-chan," Karasuba told him. "You probably know her as Musubi."

"Oh," he said, trying to gather words. "Okay. Yeah, she's here. Come in." He stood aside, and offered them entrance. The four of them walked in. Karasuba let go of Zac, and walked off deeper into the house. Zac, Tsukiumi and Akitsu stood there with the dark haired teen. Zacharias could easily tell the teen was uncomfortable being around them, or mostly him.

"Is it the scar?" Zac asked innocently.

"What?" the teen asked back with a startled tone.

"It's easily noticeable that you are uncomfortable around me." Zac said matter-of-factly. "And I am simply asking if it is the enormous X shaped feature of my visage."

The teen stuttered for a moment, unable to form words. He scratched the back of his head and finally spoke. "Well, it is rather... abnormal."

"Oh but what fun is there in being normal?" Zac gave him a very disturbing smile. Minato looked at him with a bewildered expression. Zac then offered his hand. "Zacharias."

The teen trembled as his hand shivered and grasped Zac's open hand. "Minato." As soon as their hands grabbed the other, Zac tightened his grip. He liked the way the teen was at first smiling nervously at him, and then showed his pain as Zac tightened his grip even more and made Minato's bones crack. Zac let go before he shattered the Ashikabi's hand to pieces.

"You've met Karasuba," Zac said to him. "This fine fine woman is-"

"His wife." Tsukiumi finished for him. "I am Tsukiumi, Sekirei Number Nine."

"Yes she is," Zac said with a laugh. "And the bored mourner is Akitsu."

"Hello," the Ice Maiden greeted Minato in her routine indifferent voice.

"Nice to meet you," Minato said with uncomfortableness. "Are you also his Sekirei?"

"In a way. I gave my loyalty to Zac-sama after he mutilated my old master several times."

Minato looked over to Zac who have him a very sadistic smile. "What can I say? I hate that little prick."

Minato gulped nervously and broke into a cold sweat.

"So tell me kid," Zac started as he slowly began walking deeper into the Inn mostly because he hated standing still. "I'm assuming from your general discomfort that your relationship with your Sekirei is... platonic perhaps?"

Minato turned a light shade of red and looked at Zac as the two Ashikabi slowly walked side by side. "How did you...?"

"Zac-sama is an expert in deductio and psychoanalysis," Akitsu answered for him in her detatched voice. "And his extremely high IQ is quite beneficial."

"Right you are, my dear." Zac suddenly stopped on a dime, and so did everyone else. He then spoke to his fellow Ashikabi while staring off into nothingness. "How do you act towards your Sekirei? How do you treat them?"

Minato struggled to form the right words. When he failed to find a full answer, he decided to turn the doctor's words on him. "How do you treat yours?"

Slowly, an insane smile grew on Zac's lips. "I'll _show_ you. Akitsu, come over here," he said without moving a single muscle. The Broken Sekirei obeyed him without hesitation. As she walked over to her master's open side, Minato noticed for the first time the X shaped scar on her left cheek, and he couldn't help but wonder if Zac did it to her.

XXXXXX

"Karasuba! It nice to see you again!" Musubi almost shouted with joy when she saw her friend leaning on the doorway of her room.

Karasuba chuckled lightly. "It nice to see you again as well. The man downstairs, is he your Ashikabi?"

"Yes, Minato winged me. I could tell from the moment we met that I was fated to be with and love him forever."

"Heh, so you still believe in the vast, immeasurable power of love." Karasuba wasn't surprised since Musubi had many traces of Yume in her... and a few more things.

"Of course! Have you been winged yet?"

She grinned at her. "Actually yes."

Musubi began to cry out in excitement and joy. "That's amazing! Congratulations Karasuba!" She then calmed down and became curious. "Do you love him?"

Karasuba took a moment to answer, and when she did, she did with pure honesty. "Yes. My heart belongs to Zac-kun. I admit it." She had always thought that all humans were completely useless and that not a single one of them would ever matter, but Zacharias blew her away with his love of destruction and slaughter. The way he basically cheered on with her onslaughts. How he loved to both mentally and physically torment people he had nothing against, he just did it to do it.

"I am so happy for you!" Musubi returned to her enthusiastic attitude. "Where is he?"

"He's actually downstairs and probably getting to know your Ashikabi right now."

"I hope they get along and become friends!"

"I seriously doubt that," Karasuba said under her breath with a grin. She then began to wonder what Zacharias was doing to get inside Minato's head.

XXXXXX

Whatever Zac was going to show Minato was interrupted before it could even begin.

"Oniichan, who are they?" a young girl with long dirty blonde hair asked after she walked into the room to find her Ashikabi standing with a man with black hair that shot out of his head like fireworks. Zac looked at her and instantly recognized her as Sekirei Number 108. (He had requested to be given vast information on every Sekirei there was, and Minaka happily obliged since he liked Zac's... style.)

"Ahh, there's the Green Girl. You can call me Zac," he said with a smile as he walked over to her and crouched down so they were as eye-level as his long wiry legs would allow. His armored trenchcoat draped on the floor behind him. Kuu instantly saw his scar and almost fainted. "Since you're here I am going to assume that Minato winged you, am I correct little one?"

She looked at him with slight confusion. "Yes. I'm Oniichan's Sekirei."

"Well that's a relief. Better him than Mikogami."

"Who's that?"

"My punching bag. But anyway, it's truly fortunate that Minato there winged you. However the night that happened, I was supposed to go and fetch you."

"Why?" She was getting close to being completely lost.

"Because you got lost in that little jungle of yours before they could finish the... adjustments." With that last word he pulled a small blowtorch out of his leather coat and lit it. But before anyone could react, he also pulled out a cigarette, put it in his mouth, and used the torch to light it. Its purpose served, the torch returned to one of the many inside pockets of Zac's trench-coat. "I'm just kidding. Everything's fine like wine."

She just stared at him with wide eyes. He lifted himself up and let out a chuckle. He walked past Minato and his Sekirei and made his way upstairs. Tsukiumi was about to follow him, but Minato grabbed her by the arm. She spun around and glared at him angrily.

"Get your filthy hands off of me!" She jerked her hand away and freed herself. "Nobody may touch me but my husband!"

"How can either of you even stand to be around him?" Minato asked in complete disbelief. "He's... insane!"

"Hmph." The Water Sekirei crossed her arms under her ample chest while Akitsu stared at him with her empty eyes. "He's not crazy, you are just weak and have no sense of humor."

"You think just because he acts differently than you makes him mentally unstable?" Akitsu spoke up. "At least he has confidence in himself."

Minato stared at both of them. Like Zacharias, he couldn't figure them out. "Did he forcibly wing you or something?"

The air around the room became moist as Tsukiumi clenched her hands into fists. "He would never do anything to me against my will! He saved my life!"

"And he gave me a purpose," Akitsu added in.

"I'm glad you didn't come to MY rescue," Tsukiumi continued. "The very thought of me being married to someone as weak as you is... unfathomable."

XXXXXX

Zac was walking down the hall of the second floor looking for Karasuba when the door he was passing opened. He stopped and turned to see a brunette woman he also recognized looking right back at him with wide eyes full of shock.

XXXXXX FLASHBACK

"We don't know his name, and he obviously doesn't work for MBI due to his appearance, but he does hang around the Tower a lot." Higa explained to Uzume as he handed her a picture of a man with long pitch-black hair that matched every article of his clothing. His most distinguishing feature was the X carved into his neck.

"So does this have a point?" Uzume asked impatiently.

"Yes. I want you to bring him to me alive." He made sure to emphasize that last word. "Since he's often inside the building, he probably knows something we don't."

"And if he refuses?" Uzume looked at the picture and could tell that he would probably flay her face before taking an order from her.

"Persuade him."

XXXXXX

Zac looked at the Sekirei and could read her like a book.

"Uzume. I thought your Ashikabi was sick."

Her eyes widened even more. "How do you know that?"

"I know everything... Number Ten."

She tried looking at his eyes to try and find a sign that he was lying, but saw only her reflection in his shades. The smile on his face confirmed her anticipation that he was extremely dangerous to anger, or even be around if he didn't like you.

"It's clear as day that you are surprised to see me, as if you've been looking for me." She then felt herself shaking in fear. It was as if he could read her mind, and then twist it. "I don't like stalkers all that much."

"I didn't know that." The two of them turned to see Karasuba and Musubi walking towards them. Karasuba had a lazy and tired smile while Musubi had a very excited grin on her face.

"Are you Kara-chan's Ashikabi?" she almost shouted at Zac.

"Why yes. Yes I am." He no longer had a nightmarish smile but an amused one. "Karasuba, I think it's time for us to take our leave." He turned back to face Uzume. He took a long whiff of his cigarette, took it out of his mouth with his thumb and index finger, and blew the smoke right into her face. He gave her a toothy grin and let out a chuckle, and then he walked back towards the lower level floor.

"Alright Zac-kun. See you around Mu-chan." As she passed Uzume, she shot the Veil Sekirei a glance for a fraction of a second. It was clearly a warning for Uzume to stay away from Zacharias.

Uzume saw it, but didn't heed it. She had to somehow get to the Black Sekirei's Ashikabi. It was the only way to help her own Ashikabi.


	8. The Liar And The Murderer

"Well, look who it is." Karasuba said to the other three as they walked out of the gate of the Inn and down the street. Walking towards them was a woman with lavender hair and a white kimono. She didn't look all that happy to see Zac's premier Sekirei. "Sorry Miya. Would've said hello has you been home when we came along."

"I thought I made it perfectly clear that you are never allowed in my home," she retorted with a frigid voice.

"Ignorance is bliss," Zac said. He pulled out a cigar and a blowtorch.

"And just who are you?" Miya asked looking at him as he put the roll in his mouth and lit the blowtorch.

His cigar ignited, Zac put the torch back inside his overcoat. "Based on what I've assessed, I am Karasuba's and Tsukiumi's husband. And who the fuck are you?"

"She is not your wife!" Tsukiumi roughly grabbed his arm and put herself around it. Karasuba grinned and took his other arm.

Akitsu was again in dismay as her Ashikabi deliberately failed to mention her.

"That's right Miya," Karasuba said mischievously. "I've emerged."

She looked at them intensively for a long moment, and then brushed past them without another word.

"Confident. Up tight. Dangerous if aggravated." Zac had read the lavender-haired woman just like he did everyone else.

"Right on all three Zac-kun." Karasuba now had a tired smile across her lips.

"Well that's nice. But on to bigger trees to burn."

XXXXXX

Uzume eagerly made her way to Chiho's hospital room. She always loved being around and entertaining her sickly Ashikabi. She vigorously opened the door, but when she looked inside she stopped dead.

"... And the second guy says 'Do ya think I'm crazy? You'll just shut it off when I'm halfway across!'" Zac had obviously just told a joke to Chiho since she was laughing as much as her weak body would allow her. Zacharias had a genuinely friendly smile on his lips

"You." Uzume growled. She felt no longer a fear, but a hatred towards the nightmarish psychopath. How could he have the audacity to show his face to the defenseless and innocent Chiho?

Zac looked over to see her, and his golden eyes filled with fear. (His mirror shades were hanging on his shirt right in front of his neck.) He bolted out of the chair he was sitting in. "You?" he asked with a frightened tone. Uzume became a blur as she ran across the room and pinned Zacharias to the wall by putting her hands around his neck. He made a few gagging and coughing sounds, but became silent as he smiled wickedly at her. "You gonna do it this time? Or are you just gonna leave me in another body cast?"

"U-chan, what is he talking about?" Chiho asked as she struggled to put herself into a sitting position.

Uzume's eyes widened as she realized Zacharias had played Chiho and twisted her mind. He had planted seeds of doubt and suspicion in her.

"You haven't told her." Zac stated to Uzume. He turned to Chiho with Uzume still at his windpipe. "She tried to kill me."

"WHAT?!" Both women screamed. Uzume saw the horrified look on Chiho's face and quickly spoke up.

"He's lying!"

"Oh, then how did this get on me?" He tapped on his signature scar. "She tried to kill me just like the other woman she offed."

Uzume whispered to him in an almost defeated tone so her frail Ashikabi wouldn't hear. "You saw that?"

"I saw it." He turned back to the awestruck Chiho. "She tried to kill me so that there wouldn't be a single witness to her horrid display of power. But I survived. I got away. And right now I'm surprised she hasn't crush me yet."

Uzume looked back to her beloved Chiho, and saw that Zacharias had done what he had come for. He had manipulated Chiho's ignorance of the situation, and turned her against Uzume. The Veil Sekirei immediately released Zac and ran over to the young girl's bedside on the verge of tears.

"Please... he's lying." She sobbed. She would never stop trying to help Chiho see the truth.

U-cha... Uzume, please... please leave."

"What?" The Veiled One was shocked beyond comprehension.

"Please leave me to be alone." Chiho turned her head to break her gaze with Uzume by looking out the large window.

Uzume failed to hold back her tears as she ran out of the room. Chiho was also silently crying. She had loved Uzume. She had been stupid enough to loved a murderer.

She didn't notice Zac dust himself off before pulling out a butterfly knife and smiling wickedly as he too left the room. His mental work was done. Now all he had to do was drag Uzume back into Chiho's hospital room and bury the knife in the Veil Sekirei's neck right in front of the sickly child.

XXXXXX

Zac felt like his midsection was ablaze. It wasn't surprising at all. He pressed his back up to a wall and bent his legs to alleviate some of the pressure of supporting him. He held one hand tightly to his stomach and the other on the wall he was leaning on. His mouth was letting out a steady flow of blood. After leaving the hospital's main doors Uzume had ambushed him and delivered one powerful blow that sent him back about ten feet, and now he was in his current predicament with the righteously furious Uzume glaring at him with gritted teeth.

He wasn't worried. If she intended to kill him she would have done it already. No, she was on a leash, and its holder was choking her with it to keep him alive for a reason he hadn't yet figured out. He let out a painful and strained laugh as he slid his body to the ground. His back was still pressed on the wall, but now both his arms were wrapped around him.

"What's so funny?" Uzume asked trying to keep a steady tone.

"Oh nothing," he said with a pained smile. "Just the fact that you have nothing... nothing to threaten me with."

She gripped him by the fabric over his shoulder and pulled him in so that they were breathing the same oxygen. Before Uzume could teach him a hard lesson, she felt something cold suddenly come to rest on her neck.

"If you don't put him down right now, I'm going to slice you to pieces."

Uzume turned her head and saw a Sekirei with long silver hair tied back in a ponytail. She had a lazy but sadistic grin across her lips and the coldness Uzume felt was coming from her sword. Standing next to the swords-woman was a blonde Sekirei with a very angry expression. She had her arms crossed under her huge chest and ball of water were floating in the air around her.

It wasn't until Uzume finally noticed the long grey coats both or them were wearing that she finally realized just who Zac was; the Ashikabi of the Second Disciplinary Squad, the Sekirei who did what they wanted whenever they wanted to and paid little mind as to who they injured or killed. Saying that the three of them were dangerous was the understatement of the millennium.

Uzume knew that dying at their hands would do nothing for Chiho, so she slowly and carefully released Zac. He swayed from side to side, and was about to fall over when the blonde Sekirei sprinted over to him and caught him.

"You know, I'm curious," Zacharias said. "Who has you by the neck? Please do tell me. I'd hate to go and pay little Chiho another visit." He gave her very dark smile.

XXXXXX

Higa was sitting in his high rise apartment when suddenly a somewhat frantic knocking came from the door. He slowly rose from his chair to go and answer it. He opened the door with a very relaxed air and saw Uzume looking at him with wide eyes.

"Can I help you Uzume?" he asked with a smile. He was sure she was here to make sure he was still treating her terminally ill Ashikabi. Instead of answering him, the Veil Sekirei fell forward into unconsciousness to reveal the man Higa had ordered her to bring to him. He was standing straight and tall with a smile across his lips. Standing behind him were obviously his three Sekirei. One looked tired and amused, another appeared to be bored, and the last had an irritated scowl on her face.

"You must be Higa." His voice was raspy and gritty at the same time. He held out his hand. "Flagg."

Higa returned the smile and shook his gloved hand. "Glad to meet you."

"So tell me my good man," Flagg started. "Just why did you send Uzume to her near death?"

XXXXXX

It had taken nearly an hour for Higa to tell Zacharias everything; who he was, his strategy, what he planned on doing to MBI. The whole time Zac just sat in a wingback chair across from him, dead silent the entire duration. He pressed his index fingers together and took in every last detail and syllable. Uzume had since left.

He slowly began laughing. Softly and barely audible at first, but it eventually became an almost deafening cackle. After he laughed himself to tears and kept going, Higa nervously joined in, unsure of what to do in this strange situation. Eventually the laughter died down and Flagg wore a grin.

"I like you Higa. You hate rules unless you make them, and your motto is basically 'Fuck the police unless they work for me.' Classic... truly classic." He wiped away a joyful tear. "Tell you what, it's obvious you're going to be around for a long time in the game, so why don't you and I work as a team in the Fifth Phase?"

"What happens in the Fifth Phase?" Higa asked with genuine curiosity.

"It's a surprise." Zac grinned mischievously.

Higa thought it over. He liked this most likely insane man as well. They both cared about nothing but their own flourish and didn't care at all who they hurt to get what they wanted. Though it seemed Zacharias did it just to amuse himself. "Alright then. Why not?"

"Ha, excellent." They shook hands again. "Now if you'll excuse me I've an engagement to go to."

"Like what?"

Flagg smiled evilly at him. "My good friend Mikogami is being released from the ICU today and I thought I would pay him a visit."

And by 'pay a visit' he meant shoot him point blank in the face with a flare gun.


	9. Not The Only One

"I hope you have a good reason for this, Minaka," Takami said flatly as she lit up another cigarette. The Director had summonded her, Natsuo, and Flagg into his office to announce something apparently important. The only one of the three missing was the latter.

"Of course it's a good reason," Minaka responded with his signature half-insane grin from behind his desk. "I need all of three of you here, only the four most influential people of MBI can be the ones to know of the feat that is dawning."

"I wonder if Flagg will make good on his threat he gave you last time and actually kill you this time," Natsuo said with a completely calm air. Before any response could be given, the huge doors on the other side of the room flew open and in stormed the most possibly insane Flagg. He had Hellfire in his eyes, and the other three could tell why; his hair was a rat's nest, he had lipstick marks all about his face and neck, his clothes, which were only a casual tee-shirt and black jeans, were ruffled, and he looked sweaty.

"Sorry for your... inturruption," Takami said with obvious amusement.

He thrust his head in her direction and let out a very rabid snarl before turning back to Minaka. "I don't care what it is you have to say. Do not interfere with my... never mind." He turned on his heels and stormed out, slamming the doors so hard they fell of their hinges.

"Well," Takami began after the echoes finally died away, "at least he didn't try to flay any of us again."

Natsuo let out a fearful and disgusted shudder. "That psycho knows how to use a knife."

Minaka, of course, didn't seem fazed at all that he had just royally pissed off a man who would murder him without regret or a second thought. "I'll just message him later, aftet he's cooled down."

XXXXXX

Akitsu stood by the door of the aparement her Ashikabi allowed her to shared with him and his Sekirei, waiting for him to return. Her wait wasn't a long one. Flagg smashed open the door and made his way toward her. She was about to say something along the lines of a welcome back, but before a single sound could escape her lips, Zacharias held out an open palm in front of her, as if waiting for something. She recognized his request instantly and out of nowhere produced a pill bottle which he hastly snatched away from her. He forced the lid off of it and raised it above him. He opened his mouth as far as it would go with out breaking, and he poured the entire contents of the bottle into his gaping mouth. When all the white medicine was in him he swallowed hard and tossed the bottle aside. He lumbered back to his room where Karasuba and Tsukiumi were waiting without uttering a single syllable to Akitsu.

XXXXXX

Tsukiumi stood on a high rooftop near the city's center, looking out into the streets, hoping that she would, by some devince luck, spot her husband and confront him on what happened last night and why he had taken off in the morning before either she or Karasuba awoke. Under normal circumstances, she would be furious, hunt him down, and shake him like a paint mixer for such actions, but this wasn't a normal situation. Last night, Zacharias looked... scared. Afraid of something only he could see. That worried her. Zac wasn't threatened by anything, but last night...

"Something on your mind?" an all too familiar voice asked from behind her.

"Homura," she said with a sigh, not bothering to turn around to meet his gaze. "You always know when something is amidst. And yes, something is bothering me."

"Care to tell me what it is?" Her rival walked up to her so that they were side by side.

She looked him over extremely slowly and carefully. He seemed genuinely concerned, but they were still rivals. She ultimatley decided to spare him one detail. "Last night, after returning from a meeting of some sort, my Ashikabi barged into our chambers and vomited. After that he lost consciousness."

"That's it?" Homura asked dryly, trying hard to control his urge to laugh.

"The liquid that came out of his mouth was nothing but warm blood."

XXXXXX

Flagg and Higa sat in the latter's office in his family's hospital. Zac had shown up alone randomly and demanded to be tested for a very specific disease. Now they sat and waited, and when the results finally did come, Higa read the paper quietly to himself. His eyes widened and he looked at his friend with a very haunted veneer.

"Don't tell me." Flagg knew the look, and while anybody else alive would be frightened, he was simply annoyed.

"Terminal." The two of them stated the disease in perfect unison.

"Zac, this is serious," Higa said as he watched the Discipline Ashikabi pull himself out of the chair he sat in moments ago.

"You don't say," he responded dryly. "Look, I knew this would happen."

"You knew?!" Higa was in complete disbelief. "How could you possibly know this would happen?"

"Easy, it's happened at least four other times. I usually cough up blood every now and again, and right now it's drooling out of me."

"So this is why your voice is so... strained. You really are constantly in pain."

"Feh, pain is weakness leaving the body. I've battled this shit my whole life. And I've bested it every time as well."

"Well, shouldn't you at least make the company you work for cure you? We both know they can."

"NO!" Zac screamed. He then became more calm. "If I did that, then Minaka would know he actually had a way of controlling me. And I cannot let him do that. I'll just make Takami take care of it after I kill Minaka."

"Zac, by these charts, you won't last that long."

"I've taken this head-on for twenty-five years. I am pretty sure I can keep going for a few more weeks." He raised a fist up to cover his mouth and let out several coughs that would make a stranger think he smoked three cartons of cigarettes a day.

Higa sighed. He knew that along with an iron will, Flagg also possessed a voracious selective stubborness.

"Besides, I already have an idea as to get even more ahead in the Game." His chronic coughing made it extremely hard for Zac to finish that simple sentence.

"Oh really?" Higa had obvious interest mixed in with his concern. "How?"

"The Single Numbers are the key." Despite the pain that was now consuming him, Flagg managed to smile wickedly. "And by my count, there's only two left that are unwinged. And one of which is broken. But we can control one of the winged ones. If I can get an Ashikabi into this hospital, can you make sure he stays?"

"Of course." Higa now had a smile on his face.

"Excellent." Zacharias coughed uncontrollably into his fist again.

"So what happens to the last one?" Higa couldn't tell where this was going.

"Well I certainly don't want her!" Zac exclaimed. "She's fucking tainted! Sleeping with the Director." He made a retching sound. "So here's the plan: we go out with a small, but elite, group of our Sekirei, and hunt down Sekirei Number Three."

"And then what?"

"I don't know about you, but I am curious as to what would happen if Karasuba chopped her into little pieces..."


	10. A Modest Proposition

Higa couldn't hide his concern. His friend was obviously in severe pain. He limped with every step he took and couldn't stop coughing up blood.

"Wipe that pathetic look off your face," Flagg ordered through an extremely strained voice. They were walking down one of the many streets of the Capital towards a place that was sure to have even more potential power in it.

"It's hard to do that when the person standing next to you looks like the living dead." Higa responded. He then decided to change the subject before Zac got royally angry. "So what exactly is at this place we are headed to?"

"Power." Zac looked as if he had just made the entire world bow at his feet.

"What sort of power?" Higa asked with interest. They turned and began making their way down a stone walkway towards the front door of a building.

"Not the kind I know you're thinking about." They stopped at the door. "Not strength, but knowledge."

"I already have a Sekirei for that," Higa pointed out.

"Not like this," Dolarhyde said with a smile as he slowly shook his head.

"If she's so powerful like you say, shouldn't we at least call some of our own Sekirei?" Higa wasn't in the mood to fight a battle he couldn't hope to win.

"No need," Zac assured him. "Fighting isn't exactly... allowed here. Besides, I've done my research and recon, and the place is almost completely deserted."

"How can you be sure?"

"The people here have systems and routines. Both are incredibly easy to track, and capitalize on." He knocked on the door. The two of them only had to wait before their summons was answered.

"Mr. Sahashi!" Flagg said with enthusiasm, like he was greeting an old friend. "Long time."

"Dectective Flagg," Minato was, to say the very least, shocked to see him. "Wha... what brings you here?"

"Oh nothing much."

"You sound... horrible."

"I noticed." Zac fought to control his rage. "Anyway..." He brushed past the ronin and Higa followed. Minato didn't feel like arguing with someone who would kill him, so he said nothing and shut the door behind them. Zac took a look around as he continued, "This is my good friend Higa."

"Pleasure." Higa offered his hand.

Minato warily took it. "Likewise."

"Well, on to business," Higa said at their handshake's conclusion.

"Business?" Minato repeated with confusion.

"Yes, business." Flagg said as he went deeper into the house with the other two Ashikabi in tow. "We understand that you are one of the four most powerful Ashikabi in the Game."

"I am?" This was news to him.

"Yes, you oblivious troglodyte."

"Anyway," Higa said wanting to get the situation rolling with as few delays as possible. "We are simply wondering if you have Winged a certain... special one."

"Special?" Minato whispered to himself. "I don't know what exactly the two of you are trying to say."

The trio had since ventured upstairs. Zac took to looking through the rooms while Higa continued to slowly explain the situation to Sahashi. Flagg found one Sekirei, but not the one he was looking for. She was far too young looking.

"Enough of this insipid screwing around." He growled to himself after they reached the end of the hall. He looked at Minato with psychotic eyes. "Where is Sekirei Number Two?"

"Wh-what?" Minato stuttered. The fear in his eyes and voice was practically tangible. That was all Zac needed.

"Red hair. Spectacles." He could see the hope draining from the ronin's eyes. Higa simply stood back to watch the show. "Full blown pervert."

"I... I-I have no idea who you're talking about." Minato responded defensively. "Even if I did, why does it matter to you?"

"It matters to me because she's a fugitive of MBI," Flagg answered.

"What?" Minato responded with shock.

"Oh is that why we're here?" Higa asked.

"Not exactly," Zac said back. He didn't have anymore time to play games with Sahashi. The landlady would return soon, as would Minato's Sekirei. "It's been fun kid. Watch your back." They made their way to the front door. As Higa and Flagg walked off, the latter turned around and said, "Be sure to know who your friends are Minato. Some of them could get you into trouble."

The ronin just stood in the doorway awestruck as the two visitors made off into the dusk of the day. He was still frozen in place when Musubi showed up out of nowhere.

"Minato! You have to meet someone!" She said with overzealousness. She grabbed onto his arm. "Come on!" She leaped off. Minato tried and managed to contain his urge to scream.

XXXXXX

Takami was about to do something she swore she never would. She would have to break that personal vow. She stood outside the door that led to Flagg's private quarters in the Tower. Carved into it was a phrase in a language she couldn't read. She shook her head and braced herself as she pushed the door open. She was surprised by how the room didn't belong with things in it. The place was lit up with black-lights, so everything was a shade of menacing violet. Everywhere there was broken things and blood stains. Other than that the place was well kept. On a stereo there was classical music playing. She could see the shimmer of a computer screen across the room. She slowly made her way into the evil place. She walked up to behind a couch to see the psychotic detective looking intently at a laptop with Karasuba asleep with her head on his shoulder.

"What is it?" Flagg asked without emotion or looking up to acknowledge her presence.

"Where's your other Sekirei?" Takami asked with genuine concern that he had killed one or both of them. If he had, she wasn't surprised that Karasuba was still with him. Those two psychopaths were made for each other.

"Tsukiumi is on one of the lower levels training. I don't know, nor do I care, where Akitsu is." He still didn't look away from his screen.

"Fair enough. Anyway, the real reason I came to see is that..." She struggled to speak. She couldn't believe she needed his help. "I need you to do something for me."

Flagg shut off his laptop and finally twisted his head and neck around to look at her with a wicked grin. "I'm listening."

She let out a long sigh. "We have reason to believe that a few Ashikabi and their Sekirei are going to attempt to escape tonight."

"And...?"

She let out another sigh. She was gambling life and death here. "I want you and your Sekirei to make sure that doesn't happen."

"Why me? Get Natsuo and his brats to do it!"

Before she could respond, Karasuba came awake. "Why don't we? It sounds like fun Zac-kun." She said with a still tired voice.

"Well... Alright, fine. I'll do your pathetic bidding Takami."

She was relieved. But she had to give him a rule. "Do. Not. Kill them."

Karasuba let out a playful groan. "Where's the fun in that?"

"Meh. Killing ain't really my thing, so okay. Deal."

Takami felt a small smile cross her lips as she made haste to leave Flagg's chambers.

No sooner had she left did Zac pull out his cellphone and began dialing.

"We're not really going to do what she asked, are we?" Karasuba asked with a grin.

"Nope!" Zac happily said with a smile of his own. "Rather, we're going to watch a show." He finished dialing and put the phone up to his ear and draped his free arm around Karasuba's shoulders. "Hello, Natsuo? It's me, Flagg. Listen, we have a problem. A few player want to leave and stop playing. I would take care of it myself, but I have plans tonight... That's not your concern. But yes, she said feel free to kill them. Have fun!" He hung up and allowed his body to relax.

"This is going to be fun." Karasuba said as she too relaxed her entire being and pressed herself into Zac's side.

"I'm not sure 'fun' is an accurate term for this upcoming spectacle. It's surely going to be entertaining. Fun would imply we got involved. But who knows? Maybe we'll burn the corpses afterwards."

XXXXXX

"Takami sure picked a strange time to ask for our help," Flagg said to his betrothed. The two of them looked out the huge window on the wall of their apartment. It showed them a pleasant view of the city. And at that moment it also allowed them to see a beautiful sunrise.

"Does it matter?" Karasuba asked as she pressed her body even further into his. "You already told Natsuo to handle it."

"Still. It's a game I would rather like to partake in. How do they plan on getting out? And just who are they?" He tilted his head back so that it rested on the top of the love seat they were lying on. He began to think. But it was to no avail. "I can't think whilst being stagnant." He stood up and grabbed his armored overcoat. "Come on. Let's go."

"To where?" Karasuba followed suit and fastened her nodachi to her side.

"For a little stroll through Hell."

XXXXXX

"Why do you call the Capital Hell?" Karasuba asked as she wrapped herself around one of Zac's arms. They were walking around town with no particular destination in mind.

"Where I come from, they say war is Hell."

"So you think this is a war?"

"For now," he answered. "As long as Minaka is holding the reins."

"You say it as if he isn't going to be around much longer." Karasuba said mischievously.

"He isn't." Flagg's tone matched his fiancée's. "But for the moment we must suffer his insipidness and stupidity."

They let out contented sighs at the same time, envisioning themselves standing above every single other living being, ruling as Lord and Lady.

"It's situations like this that ease the incessant pain within me." Zacharias said as he looked to the still orange and purple sky. "You and me. Alone." He did not feel like dealing with both of his Sekirei and Akitsu today, so he told Akitsu he would call when he needed her, and for all he knew, Tsukiumi was still somewhere in the Tower, destroying targets and practicing her fighting.

"What does it feel like?" Karasuba asked in a somber tone. Even though she had murdered and killed an uncountable amount of people, she had never even been scratched by any of them.

"I can't describe it," was Flagg's answer. "But it doesn't matter. Phase Three is fast approaching."

"What does that matter?"

"That is the day I will eliminate Minaka and claim control of MBI. And finally, I can cure myself of this irritating sickness!"

Karasuba let out an excited laugh. That day was going to be amazing. They continued to go to nowhere in a comfortable silence for a half hour. At that moment, Karasuba and Zac heard a rather nasty voice yell out, "Maybe today you won't be so useless!"

They looked over to a suburban park and saw a man and what could only be a Sekirei since she was dragging a hammer that was the size of a car behind her. Karasuba and Flagg deduced that the man was her (abusive) Ashikabi.

The Sekirei mumbled something that was probably an apology, and two seconds later her Ashikabi slapped her hard across the face.

"I'm sorry Junichi!" she cried with teary eyes. "I won't fail again."

"You better not," he growled.

"Aw, domestic abuse," Karasuba said with amusement. "Isn't that cute Zac-kun?" She didn't get an answer. "Zac-kun?" She looked over and saw that his golden eyes were locked onto the dysfunctional couple and were as wide as dinner plates.

"Oh God," he said with a cracked voice. He brought up his free hand to cover his mouth. "Here comes my childhood..."


	11. Horrid Memories And Tyrannical Dreams

XXXXXX THIRTEEN YEARS AGO XXXXXX

Zac, twelve years old, was playing on the stoop of the complex he and his extremely dysfunctional family lived in. They resided in a crummy building in the slums of a major city that had to be the biggest cesspool of crime and debauchery on the face of the planet. People carried guns and knives everyday, and almost everyone under twenty-two was a member of a street gang. Zac himself, even at only five years old, carried around a butterfly knife. He was just sitting there, twirling his lucky knife around in his hand. The sun was about to set, and the air was fitting for the time of year. However, Zac wasn't tricked by the calm atmosphere. Pretty soon the streets would be filled with thieves and potential murderers who weren't even old enough to shave. Like he did every evening, he weighed his opinions on what to do. Two things could happen. One, he could stay out there, right where he was, and run the risk of getting getting either robbed, beaten to a bloody pulp, raped, or shot.

The second option was that he could go back inside, to his family, or more specifically, his father. Even at his young age, he knew that it was sick that he heavily considered staying where he was to avoid any form of contact with his patriarch. The scores of sirens wailing not too far away from him pushed his decision to going inside. The entire place looked like it had been abandoned eons ago and belonged in a horror movie. He ventured up to his slum of a home by taking the stairs; the elevator always smelled of blood, booze, and heavy drugs. As he made his way up the several flights of stairs, he saw horrid things that by now he was familiar with and used to. A middle-aged man literally kicking a hooker out his door, a young couple shooting up heroin together with their door wide open for the world to see. Another fairly young man sitting outside his closed door, taking swigs from a bottle of whiskey. Actually, he was the closest thing to a friend Zac had in life.

"Zac!" he said greetingly with a bright face. "Good ta see ya!"

"Hey Lex," Zac replied with a smile that showed his fatigue. The future paycho stopped making his way to the waiting Hell and sat down next to his friend.

"How's life?" Lex asked with a friendly voice.

"Same as always; a living Hell too scary for even Satan."

"Aw, don't sweat it." He took another swig and offered the bottle to Zac, who took it without hesitation. The young boy took a fair drink and returned the liquor. Being as numb as he cared to get, Zac pushed himself up and began once again making his way back to where he slept. That was about it. His family could barely afford to feed to kids, so he often hung around the backs of restaurants hoping to catch the busboys just as they emptied their trays, searching for any unfinished steaks or fish that the higher class assholes hadn't even bothered to finish. He put himself in this unhealthy endeavors just to make sure his dear twin sister, Zoe, would be fed a decent meal every night.

He pushed open the door as slowly and quietly as he could. He looked and saw that his father was doing what he loved best; reading a newspaper while smoking a cigar and watching television. Zac slowly crept past his father, desperate not to draw his attention, and ever so slowly made his way to the room he and Zoe shared. He slowly drew their door open just as he had the entrance door. He was relieved to be back in the closest thing he and his sister had to a sanctuary. Positioned against the far wall was a queen-size that he had Zoe had to share since they couldn't afford a second bed. It was covered with gray sheets and comforters. The walls were painted a dark and dreary black. The floor was coated by a white carpet. Rather than buy them a dresser, their father simply made it so their clothes were in heaps. One for dirty and another for clean. Pressed against the right wall was a small stereo player. Aside from that, the bed, and the heaps of filthy garbs, the only other thing in the room was a poster of a punk band his loving mother had introduced him to that was nailed into the wall above the stereo. It was fitting that their album was the only cassette he owned, and it was waiting for him in his stereo.

He instantly noticed that Zoe was absent, but that didn't worry him. She was smart and never ventured out alone, and his father was too busy wasting space in the other room to be beating her. He lumbered over to his bed and sat down. He reached down and picked up the cassette case. No matter how many times he had looked at it, he couldn't grasp the simple cover art; the title surrounded by a sea of pink except for a blotch of green that outlined the band's name. He set the case on top of the stereo and pressed the play button. The raw riffs, despite their roughness, never failed to put him in a stage of relaxation and partial bliss. He slid onto the bed and lied down. He stared at the ceiling, thinking and doing absolutely nothing. After about half a minute of this state, he was brought back into reality when he heard the moaning of his door. He subtlety but quickly slid his right hand into his right pocket, wrapping his fingers around his butterfly knife. He expected it to be his father, but after pushing his upper body forward into a sitting position, he found that it was the person he loved most in the world just as she wrapped her arms around him.

"Zac!" She cried with joy. Her hug felt like a binding grip to him.

"Where's the fire, Zo?" He asked jokingly as he returned the embrace.

"I was scared that you wouldn't come back like mom!"

"Mom?" he repeated. He gently separated them and looked at her. They had the same eyes; gold. He then remembered that he had spent the night sleeping in a dumpster. But that was beside the immediate matter. "What do you mean 'like mom'?"

"She didn't come home last night."

"What a surprise." He didn't expect something like this not to happen. Often their mother would disappear for days on end and then just walk in the door, as if she had never left. This made him loath her, but not outright hate her like he did Father. He shook his head to make the angry thoughts leave his mind. He looked at his sister with an assuring veneer. "I will always come back, Zoe."

"Aww. How cute," said a gruff voice from their doorway. The two of them looked over and saw their father leaning on the doorway. He looked straight at Zacharias. "You didn't come home last night, Punk." That was the nickname he had bestowed upon his son.

Zac moved off the bed, stood up, and shot him a you-don't-say grin. "And you care, because...?"

In the next instant he felt a severe pain in his gut and face. His father had punched him as hard as possible. Zac fell to the ground and his father began stomping on his chest and stomach. This went on for nearly half a minute until the abusive parent finally ceased. Zac felt like he had been broken into pieces. His ribcage felt like it was numb and on fire at the same time.

XXXXXX PRESENT DAY XXXXXX

This memory warped itself into Flagg's mind. The images of his father standing over him like a predator about to enjoy its freshly killed dinner. It was also the memory that was connected with the one where his father made him and his sister begin an incestuous relationship just so he could watch and get off.

These living nightmares that were his past combined themselves with the incessant physical trauma that his disease was thrusting upon him. This pain was too much even for him to bear. He felt like his psyche would shatter like glass at any moment. Nothing was real but the pain. And he wanted it to stop.

Karasuba watched her fiancé begin to breathe heavily and raggedly as he continued observing the abusive Ashikabi and his Sekirei. His face lost what little color it had. He began to break out into an icy sweat.

"Too much," he whispered with a horrified tone.

"What?" Karasuba didn't have a single idea what was going on, but it was clear that it was not good for him.

"It's all too damn much!" He pushed her away and dug into one of the inner pockets of his overcoat. He rummaged around for about six seconds before he pulled out a syringe in his hand. He removed the protective layer from the needle and shoved it into his arm. He pushed the plunger down, injecting himself with the liquid that was inside. Almost instantly he began to unwind. Karasuba thought that he looked blissfully brainwashed. He swayed from side to side. He had a relaxed smile across his lips. He stood there in silence while Karasuba looked at him with a bewildered visage.

"What was in that needle?" She asked with a sort of demanding concern.

"Something that is normally used with severe burn victims and patients in major surgery." He said in a mellow and laid-back voice.

This filled Karasuba with fear and worry. What was he doing to himself? He didn't numb pain, he embraced it. Inflicted it to whoever he felt like, even himself. This was not the man she had met by devine luck and fell in love with. This was not the man she was going to build a new world with.

Her horror increased astronomically when Zacharias produced another needle from within his armored coat. If he put any more of that stuff in his body he might never come back. As he removed the protective layer again, she grabbed the syringe by the glass cylindrical portion of it and squeezed. The syringe shattered to pieces. She felt the glass dig into the skin of her hand. She didn't pay it any mind. Like her future husband, she ravished in pain. It was new to her, but the sensation was practically orgasmic. She felt the warm liquid that was her blood seep out of her and run down her hand and forearm.

"What have you done?!" Flagg shrieked out in horror, placing his hands on the sides of his head. This caught the attention of the other duo, but neither Karasuba nor Zacharias noticed they were too busy staring into each other's eyes.

"Think back," Karasuba said to him in a loud whisper. "Think back to that night, when we met. How we ravished each other all night and day. To when we knew that we were fated to be together. And how we vowed to win everything."

"And rule a new, perfect world that would rise from the ashes of the old one," Zac finished for her. The lost but uncaring look in his eyes vanished.

She brought herself to him and pressed her lips against his. Wings of silver light manifested on her back. The glow was nearly blinding, but they gradually faded when the dangerous lovers separated from each other.

"A Sekirei." Junichi said mostly to himself. He then turned to his abused and miserable Sekirei. "Yashima, go and kill her!"

"What?!" Yashima cried out with shock and fear. "Bu-but she's... she's..." The fear within her made it impossible to finish what her Ashikabi had to know. If she fought with the Black Sekirei, she would doubtlessly die a most horrific and painful death.

"I don't care who she is!" Junichi shouted at her. This statement caught the attention of the other duo. "Her Ashikabi's a worthless addict!"

"Worthless?!" Flagg shouted with anger as he and Karasuba approached the two. They halted when a gap of ten feet separated the two couples. Rage filled him to the very brim for two reasons: the punk Ashikabi saying he didn't care who Karasuba was and calling him a worthless addict, a description that couldn't have been more inaccurate. The high he felt from the strong narcotic dissipated in no time and the pain from the virus inside of him was all but momentarily forgotten.

"Yeah, you heard me!" Junichi shouted back. If the freak Ashikabi wanted to fight, he had no qualms, be it their Sekirei or themselves. How could he lose? Not only was his trusty knife in his pocket, but the other guy looked like shit; he was tall, but extremely thin and wiry, his skin tone made him look like the undead and his golden eyes were extremely bloodshot, his hair was way too long, unkempt and ruffled; a thin line of it ran from just below his lips to the bottom of his chin. The scar on his neck told its own story. He was dressed in jeans, shoes, and a t-shirt (all of which were black) that all looked so tattered and filthy that it was likely he dug them out of the garbage. The only presentable garbs he had were the necklace around his neck with an inverted cross of solid gold that rested on his sternum, the black leather gloves on his hands thst didn't cover the fingers, and the pitch black leather overcoat he had on that was completely covered with thick silver chains. "Got a problem with it, you pathetic goth?"

"Goth?" Instead of sounding angry, the freakish Ashikabi sounded amused. He let out a laugh that was dripping with pain. "Judging by your irrational sense of confidence and lack of terror, I take it you haven't a clue who either of us are, no?"

"I know enough," Junichi retorted. "I know that once Yashima eliminates your Sekirei, we'll be one step closer to winning."

"Her?" The insane-looking man said as he looked at the hammer-wielding Sekirei. "Take out Karasuba? WHOO HA HA! That'll be the day!" He began laughing uncontrollably, but soon it became strained, almost forced, and then he began coughing into his fist. He soon regained control over himself. "Anyway, perhaps you should know just who you're dealing with before you lose."

"What makes you think I'm going to lose?" Junichi didn't know whether he should he angry with or amused by his fellow Ashikabi.

"Well for starters, Mister Junichi-"

"How do you know my name?" Junichi demanded.

"Your Sekirei shouted it out not even two minutes ago." He said it as if it was information only a complete idiot wouldn't know. "Anyway, you're putting yourself on the bad side of MBI's Zacharias Flagg and Discipline Squad Alpha's Karasuba."

"'Alpha'?" Karasuba parroted. She had never heard him use that term before.

"I figured we were the better of the two since our entourage is composed of nothing but Single Numbers." He looked back to Junichi. "Anyway. I feel you are wasting our time, so we'll just be on our way. There's business to attend to."

The two of them walked right pasted the other duo. Zac could almost taste the aura of anger and frustration Junichi was giving off. He heard the aggravated Ashikabi yell something furious and incomprehensible. A large shadow appeared around them, and at the speed of thought Karasuba Tightened her grip around her Ashikabi's arm and darted to the side. Just as she did, a gigantic hammer smashed into the spot they had just been in. Dust covered the entire area, and when it settled Karasuba and Zac saw Yashima forcing her hammer out of the depression it had created in the ground. The fear in her eyes was nearly palpable.

"Okay, Sekirei versus Sekirei, I understand," Flagg shouted over to Junichi. "But trying to crush me as well is going to far." He turned his head and whispered into Karasuba's ear, "We've not the time for these insipid fights today. Beat her to... let's say a nanometer of her existence."

Karasuba gave a response in the form of a wicked grin. She drew her deadly nodachi from its scabbard. She began walking toward Yashima who looked traumatized.

"First rule of war!" Zac shouted out for all them to hear. "There are always casualties!"

XXXXXX

A/N: I choose to name Zac's sister Zoe for no reason other than it was the only female name, besides Zelda, that I could think of.


	12. Party With The Animals

"... There are always casualties!"

This statement caused Yashima to run as fast as her legs and load would allow her back to her Ashikabi, who in return forcefully kissed her causing her own wings of pure light to appear on her back.

As Karasuba prepared to make her latest victim suffer horribly, Zac's eyes narrowed and he had a realization and he said to himself, "But sometimes enemies put their differences aside briefly..."

XXXXXX THIRTY SECONDS LATER XXXXXX

"Somehow, that was both fun and boring," Karasuba said. She walked back towards Zac, wipping the blood of her blade.

"You think you can just up and do something like that!?" a furious Junichi screamed from behind Karasuba. He came stomping up and brushed himself past Karasuba. The Black Sekirei didn't like this action and gripped her sword in both hands and got into a pose that said she was ready to end another life. Zac saw this and, with a playful grin, held up his hands in a gesture that said he could and was going to handle this. Karasuba allowed herself to relax.

Junichi bared his teeth at the psychotic freak. They were exactly the same height. He was also smiling at him. With the mirrored aviators, Junichi could only comprehend the smile as playful, but behind the shades Zacharias's eyes told the world his grin was sadistic and murderous.

"Can I help you?" he said like he was greeting someone at a convenience store.

"Who do you think you are?"

"I am the manifestation of fear itself." His voice mixed with his smile would make a child suffer nightmares for weeks. "Here to end the borrowed time all of you have been living on."

"Really?" Junichi said challengingly. He considered grabbing his knife, but this guy seemed to easy for that. Plus his Sekirei was right him him, and Junichi remembered Yashima telling him that the Discipline Squad didn't have to follow the rules like all the other Sekirei did. So the silver-haired woman could kill him if she wished, and judging by the man she had been winged by, she most probably would. So ultimately, Junichi decided to grab the guy by the shoulders of his chained coat and pulled him in so that they were breathing the same air. Zac moved without resistance and kept his amused veneer. Junichi growled at him. "You don't look scary to me. You look like a freak who can't handle the hardships of his own life, so he drowns himself with booze and drugs."

"Let me assure you, my fair acquaintance..." Zac placed his own hands on Junichi's shoulders and pushed himself away so that Junichi still had a grip on him, but how arms were straight. Flagg let his arms go back to his sides. "I love my life. And I am in complete, undivided control of it. And the only reason for that needle was to end the pain. But just because I am currently suffering excruciating pain doesn't mean I kick your ass into next week."

The instant he was finished speaking, Zac did a little jump into the air and brought his legs up so that his knees were touching his sternum. He was still in midair, at the peak of his potential energy, when he shot out his legs straight forward into Junichi's stomach. This impact did separate things for both men. Junichi felt the oxygen be forced right out of him in its entirety. His ribs felt like they were on fire. He couldn't breathe for a moment. He felt to the ground onto his back. Flagg used the forced of the impact to throw himself into doing a backflip in midair. He landed on his feet.

"I used to practice isometrics for ten hours everyday," Zac said in a half-mocking voice.

They had continued walking towards nowhere in mind and she had since rewrapped herself around his arm. They left a broken Junichi with a bloodied and death-bound Yashima. They didn't know if she would survive, but then again they didn't care either.

"Weak opponents rarely satisfy their adversaries' bloodlust." Flagg said. "But now I have something to do. Something that will most probably reveal to us the fools attempting to get away."

"What are you going to do?" Karasuba asked with mischievous interest. She liked it when her Fated One had ideas.

"To understand, I'll have to give you a history lesson."

"Yea," she cheered sarcastically.

"It happened during a majorly historic war."

This statement put a spark back on her interest and turned it into a roaring fire.

"It's nearly the end of 1914, and all along the Western Front the British and German shoot at each other from within their trenches. But on Christmas Eve and Day, despite the fighting of The First World War, the opposing sides join together in peace, harmony, and humanity."

"None of those descriptive words are relevant to either us or the Sekirei Plan," Karasuba pointed out. She was curious as to where her lover was going with this. He always had something up his sleeve.

"No, they are not," he admitted. "But the situation can be." He pulled out his phone and began typing a message.

"What? I'm not sure what's going to happen here." Karasuba was lost.

"This is a war, my dear," he said as he continued typing. "And in war, the leaders want fighting and bloodshed, as do a few select die hard soldiers. But the vast majority of those doing the fighting and dying want to either go home, or to have any kind of either temporary or permanent peace."

"Wait a second..." Karasuba smiled. She was beginning to see the pieces of his plan come together.

"And when peace is offered, the soldiers will jump up and down to get it. And I am positive that what I, or as far as the rest of them know, Minaka is offering will bring every single one of them together like moths to a flame."

"What do you mean, 'Minaka'?" That little detail caused Karasuba to lose her train of thought.

The psychotic detective didn't give an answer at first. He waited, and after reading a message he had received on his phone, he smiled and said, "They won't listen to me, but if the Game Master was to offer it, all would heed. And since he just said yes to the little favor I asked of him..."

XXXXXX

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Mutsu asked. He and his Ashikabi were riding in the back of a luxurious limousine.

"Absolutely," the child answered looking out the window. He had, for the first time in a while, a positive and relaxed veneer. Weeks of treating his burns and having several surgeries to make the scars on his face disappear had been tough on him, but for a wonder he finally looked the closest thing to happy ad he could be. "It gives us a chance to get to know the competition. And socialize."

"I still don't like it," Mutsu stated. "This doesn't seem like the kind of thing the Director would do."

Mikogami didn't respond. He simply took out his phone and reread the text he had received from the man Mutsu had just mentioned.

'Greetings, participants of the Sekirei Plan! I, MBI Director Minaka, have come to realize that this entire game is taking a rather nasty toll on you. So I have decided to give a little something back to you: a guarantee of pure, but brief, tranquility. Today at noon, the lobby and ballroom of the Capital's finest and most exquisite hotel shall be reserved for every Ashikabi and one of their Sekirei to have a small get-together that shall last far into the night. Any and all fighting is STRICTLY prohibited. Attendance is not mandatory, but this is a one-time event.'

"What's there to be afraid of?" Mikogami asked without losing his smile. "It clearly says no fighting."

"I know," Mutsu answered. "But I still don't like this."

"Well I hope your attitude changes quickly," Mikogami said looking out the window again. Suddenly the vehicle came to a stop. "Because we're here."

The two of them got out of their ride and made there way towards the royal-looking doors of the mystifying building. They walked into the lobby heedlessly, but Mutsu kept an alert air. The two of them made their way to the check-in desk where a clerk was waiting for them.

"Name?" he asked while opening MBI files to match the answer with a picture of who the Ashikabi claimed to be.

"Hayoto Mikogami," he answered proudly.

The clerk type in a few commands on the computer and observed the screen for a moment. "Alright." He looked back at the excited Mikogami and the nervous Mutsu. "Just to remind you, any sort of fighting between Sekirei is strictly forbidden. But that's about the only rule. Everything is on the house. Just make your way over there and enjoy it while it lasts."

Mikogami gave a small thankful nod and he and Mutsu made their towards the double doors. The Ashikabi of the South stopped dead in his tracks when he stood before the door.

"Isn't this grand, Mutsu?" he asked as he made sure his ruffle was straight and that none of his white dress clothes had creases. "Finally, a little high-end society in this Game."

"Yeah," Mutsu responded without emotion.

They pushed open the doors, and Mikogami was blown away by what he saw and heard. Instead of a classy, organized party with string quartet music, he found a full on rave. The only light provided in the room was from the flashing flood- and spotlights situated around the ceiling and several hundred glow sticks around the wrists and necks of the hundred or so people there. What he thought would be classical music was a variety of techno dubstep and rock n' roll. Instead of being finely dressed like himself, all the other attendants were dressed in everyday clothes and were dancing and grinding to the music.

The doors closed behind him, and no sooner did he take in to account his misjudgment of how the day would go did a girl who looked barely old enough to be in college and a boy who looked about five years younger than her accost him.

She demanded something from him, but the roaring music drowned her out.

"What?!" he shouted back to her leaning forward to attempt to hear her better. Her already irritated face became nearly hell-bent. She grabbed him by the ruffle around his neck and pulled him down to her level so that they were breathing the same oxygen.

"Did you wing the Green Girl that night?!" Despite being mere inches apart, she still shouted at the top of her lungs.

"No!" Mikogami answered fearfully. He could tell that the girl basically holding him captive could make him feel a lot of pain.

She let out a frustrated sigh and released him. She and her Sekirei walked off into the madness.

Mikogami readjusted his ruffle and breathed sharply. The music died down into something a lot more slower and softer.

"Still think this was a good idea," Mutsu said while suppressing a laugh.

Before he could give a respond, someone tapped on Mikogami's shoulder.

"I take it you are the Ashikabi of the South, Mikogami?"

He looked to his side and there was a man in his early to mid-twenties who, unlike everyone else around was dressed in a dignified way. Standing next to him was a giddy little purple-haired girl in a black and white dress.

"Yes," Mikogami answered.

The man smiled, but it was a cold and dangerous one. "Be glad we met here, on hollow ground. I am Higa of the East. And this is my Sekirei Oriha."

"Pleasure meeting you," Mikogami said humbly. "The serious man next to me is Mutsu."

"Well met," Sekirei Number Five said.

"I see you didn't bother to leave your weapon behind," Higa said eying the scabbard. "No matter. But I suggest you remember that MBI doesn't want any battles to happen here."

Mutsu gave a simple no in response.

"Why are you here?" Mikogami asked. "You seem to be more on the high side of life to be in such... debauchery."

"Oh, a friend wanted to come and asked me to tag along."

"A friend?" Mikogami hadn't considered the fact that different Ashikabi could get along, let alone call each other friends. "Who?"

Before an answer could be given, a voice that basically demanded itself to be noticed filled the air around the two of them.

"WHA-HHHOOOO! Higa! Glad you made it!" Out of nowhere, an all to familiar man walked into view and gave Higa a playful punch in the arm. Mikogami's eyes doubled in size as he took in the details: hideous X shaped scar running along the entire side of his neck, dressed in nothing but black with everything tattered, mirrored aviator shades that made it impossible to see his eyes, deathly pale skin, and hair that belonged in a 1980s glam band. What was new was the golden inverted cross on a necklace around his neck, and that without the overcoat, Mikogami could that his tormentor's arms were covered with tribal tattoos. Needless to say, the ink was as black as a nightmare.

"Oh, Mikogami," Flagg said as he looked at the South Ashikabi. "Glad you're here as well." He pulled out his phone and checked their names off the list he had made from observing MBI files. "Shame it is not you," he grumbled to himself, but it still caught the ears of his old victim.

"What? I'm sorry I didn't hear that last part," Mikogami said trying to mask as much of the fear in his voice as possible.

"Uh..." Behind his shades, Zac's eyes darted around desperately whilst he tried to come up with a fake answer. "I said... that we were not expecting you. Yeah, let's go with that." He put his phone back into his pocket. "Anyway, have fun! The bar's open and free, and there's only one rule here, so go get plastered!" No sooner had he finished talking did his silver-haired Sekirei walk up behind him and hand him a bottle of whiskey. "Thank you darling," he said before pouring it down his throat.

"You know... That actually sounds like a good idea." Mikogami walked off into the madness of the party trying to make his way towards a numbing drink.

As soon as he was gone, Flagg took the bottle away from his mouth and forced a swallow. He looked disgusted and like he was about to vomit.

"I... hate this stuff," he said to Higa while looking at the bottle. "I'd take a fine wine over this any time of the day." Karasuba simply smiled, wrapped her hands around his waist, and rested her head on his right shoulder.

"Alright, what's really going on here?" Higa asked with a curious smile. "You hate parties like this unless your drunk, which you obviously aren't. You hate any music that isn't Bach, Mozart, or Beethoven. The only thing that fits your tastes is the madness, disorganization, and debauchery."

"It's all part of the plan. You see, it's basic knowledge that anyone who would leave something this serene in our situation at all would be either insane, or up to something."

"Go on." Higa wanted to know where this was going.

"You see, my hypothesis is that whoever isn't going to come to this little party is up to something very illicit. So, come sundown I and Karasuba shall quietly leave all of you to your dancing and drinking and go and track down whoever isn't checked off on my list."

"Wow." Higa was impressed with the simplicity of it. "Good plan."

"Thank you," Flagg said humbly. "And for the record, I am also an avid fan of punk rock pioneers the Sex Pistols. But anyway, I've got a few good hours on my hand. Come Karasuba, let's go see who's who in this little Game..."


	13. One Falls And Another Rises

A/N: If you started reading this story after the beginning of the new year, this note doesn't concern you.

But to all of you who having been following and reading this since the start, you are going to notice a slight change. My writing partner got all excited after reading something and wouldn't shut up about it, so I finally went back and edited everything so he would shut the Hell up for once.

**XXXXXX**

He couldn't take anymore of it, not even as they sat in the peaceful and deserted lobby. Zac was seriously about to lose what little control he had left and pull a few triggers. Two hours of plastered morons calling him "dude" and "bro" with a slur made him very aggitated and dangerous.

"I think now is a good time to make our leave," he said to Karasuba. He pulled out his phone and again checked his list to make sure he hadn't forgotten anyone. Sure enough, there were still only two name unmarked. "Besides, we know who they are now."

Karasuba leaned onto him and looked at the unchecked names. After a few seconds she looked up and observed the lobby. As Zac casually did a second run through on his digital hit-list, he heard the patter of footsteps make their way past him and Karasuba. He paid no mind. He assumed it was one of the drunken Ashikabi being led away by his concerned Sekirei. But a nudge and a directing nod from Karasuba killed this accusation. He looked up, and saw an obviously nervous young man leading his date quickly towards the exit. Flagg put his phone away and hoisted himself into a standing position. He and Karasuba began walking towards the duo.

**"Hello."**

Minato turned around and met eyes with someone he was both relieved and horrified to see. "Nice to see you, Detective Flagg," he said with a nervous smile.

"Why so formal?"

"Hi, Karasuba!" Musubi happily said to her old... friend?

"Decided to get out and party, huh Mu-chan?" Karasuba asked with her tired smile.

"Yeah! Minato said we should come here and have a look around before-"

She was cut off by Minato putting his hand over her mouth. "Musubi," he said with a cold sweat and blatantly forced smile. "They really don't need to know."

"Oh, I get it," Zac said with a sly smile and slow nod.

"Y-you do?" Minato began to shake uncontrollably.

"Yep. Consummation is always dire in a marriage."

"Marriage?" Minato and Musubi asked in unison. The former looked somewhat relieved and stopped quivering.

"Yes, marriage," Flagg said as Karasuba pushed her chest into his side. "Is a Winging not the same as a marriage? From I've seen, heard, and smelt, they're one and the same."

"I agree with that," Karasuba added.

Nothing happened for a long moment. The silence among them was broken by Musubi.

"That means I'm your wife Minato!" she cried out happily and pressed her mountainous cleavage into him as she hugged him tightly, almost refusing to let go. Minato looked shocked. His new apparent wife was smiling from ear to ear.

"I suggest you go and get rings a soon as the opportune time arises." Flagg said to the two of them. "You never know what's going to happen next." A wicked smile slowly crossed his lips.

"Uh, yeah," Minato said with the same nervous tone as before. "We'll definitely do that."

"Smashing," Zac added with a more normal grin. "Wish we could continue with this, but we've got things to do. Let's go, Karasuba." They made for the door, and the other two hurried up to catch up to them.

"We might as well go too!" Minato said a little too quickly. "Things to do, people to see. You know."

"Quite," Zac said back to him. They walked off just in time to see the sun setting behind the horizon. "How lovely."

"Sure is. Let's go Musubi!" Minato spoke so fast it sounded like one long word. He and his Sekirei quickly began walking away and were soon out of sight.

"You really should hide your emotions more often, Mr. Sahashi," Flagg said as he looked down the direction they had walked off into. "You just might actually get good at it someday."

"What should he have hidden?" Karasuba asked.

"The obvious fact that he is the one that's going to attempt to escape in about two hours... But something doesn't make sense."

"What?"

"He may be weak, but he's not a coward. And he's smart enough to know that running away will not bode well with MBI. He must have another reason... Wait a second." He pulled out his phone and took another look at his guest-list. All the names were checked... except for one. He cross referenced the name to MBI data files on the Ashikabi, and saw the perfect motive to run. "One Sekirei, and she's all but worthless in a fight."

"Bullseye." Karasuba said with excitement.

"Well, that solves that mystery. But how are they going to get out?" He put his thumb and pointer finger on his chin and began to think deeply. "Strength, plant-growth, most possibly brains... and sound. How will that get them out?"

Karasuba decided not to dawdle trying to figure it out with him. He was the detective, not her.

"They could use the noise-making one to stun the troops, but that won't stop the laser satellite. Perhaps they'll... Matsu could easily hack into the systems and momentarily stop controls over the satellite, but then the troops will be alerted almost immediately and storm them. Huh... I just don't see this working out for them, even remotely or through a hail Mary, at all... They're not stupid, and they most likely have some sense of self-preservation."

"Aw come on Hikari!" A voice whined behind them. The two turned around to see a woman with very long black hair in an S&M outfit literally dragging a man out of the hotel by the back of his jacket. "Can't we stay and have just one more drink?" The next second involved him being electrocuted by the woman.

"No Seo! She said through gritted teeth. "We have to go and get started!"

"Whipped much?" Flagg asked dryly as the strange pair passed them.

"You have no idea," the Ashikabi said with a tired smile. His answer earned him another dose of voltage.

After they left, Flagg stood there in utter silence, watching them recede from his sight. Just as they vanished, his eyes lit up and a wicked smile formed on his lips. "Well, that solves the other half of the mystery."

"What do you mean?" Karasuba asked. She didn't see how seeing one other Ashikabi and Sekirei could have revealed an answer that was seemingly impossible not one minute ago.

"If Seo of all people is leaving before this party ends, he must be helping them. And I think I know how... Using the Lightning Twins to destroy the communication tower and using Matsu to lock out commands for the satellite will allow them to have a small window of opportunity. I'm sure there's more to this little scheme of theirs, but all that we already know is enough to stop them."

"So is that what we're going to do?" she asked. "Stop them?"

"We could..." He turned his head and looked at his lover and smiled wickedly. "Or we could watch Benitsubasa and Haihane beat them senseless."

"I like that idea." She whispered sensually.

"Well then. We best follow them to see where this is going."

XXXXXX

Uzume so wanted to go up to the bridge and help her friends. They were fighting the Discipline Squad... and losing horribly. She was about to jump up and fight by their side, but Kazehana held up a halting hand.

"Not yet." She lowered her arm and looked back up to the ensuing chaos. "He hasn't shown me yet..."

"And I suppose he never will," said a very familiar and raspy voice from behind them. They both turned and looked in horror at Zacharias Flagg, who was standing right behind them and loading a clip into a Desert Eagle handgun. He smiled at them viciously. "After I get Natsuo to call off his worthless duo, I shall join in on the festivities with my dears." Out of nowhere Karasuba, Tsukiumi, and Akitsu appeared from above and landed at his sides. "Now please get out of my way."

Uzume submitted to him instantly. If she laid a hand on him, Higa would instantly discontinue Chiho's treatment in response to his good friend getting hurt. Kazehana on the other hand stood her ground.

"You wouldn't dare." She challenged him with her laid back smile.

He smiled back to her and pulled out his phone. He dialed a number. "Natsuo, call them off. I can take it from here on out." He hung up and dialed a different number. "This Disciplinary Ashikabi Flagg. I need full mobile control of all assault satellites yesterday." He hung up and put the phone back inside his pocket. He began walking towards the water and past a wide eyed Kazehana. He stopped when he was next to Uzume and looked at her.

"By the way..." He lifted his arm slightly and shot her square in the leg. She let out a cry of torment and fell to the ground. Karasuba let out an amused chuckle and Tsukiumi smirked at the sight of the one who wished to help the cowards escape suffer.

Zac turned his attention back to Kazehana. "Maybe he'll... SHOW YOU when I rip his throat out with my bare hands." He gave her a smile that would give a child nightmares for years. He turned away and walked out onto the water. Akitsu used her powers to make it so a bridge of ice formed right in front of him and all his Sekirei were in tow.

"He's insane," Kazehana said.

"You think?" Uzume strained to say. She managed to get herself into a steady standing position. "Still want to just stand here?"

"No," Kazehana said with a determined air.

"Well I do." Kazehana was taken aback by her sister's statement. "You don't get it. With HIM here, things just went to hell. We're, or in this case YOU, can't win now."

"I think you're just being pessimistic," Kazehana said after regaining her relaxed nature.

"I'm not. He may be crazy, but he's smart. Too smart and too strategic."

XXXXXX

It seemed so unreal. Minato stared as the couple escaped from the city after the Discipline Squad just up and left. Suddenly all his sekirei embraced him. Their happiness was short lived. Not two minutes later they all heard shouting and looked over to the foggy bridge and saw six silhouettes form in it. As they got closer, Minato's positive feelings died right then and there. Kuno's clothes were torn and she was obviously severely beaten. Haruka was no better. Minato came to the correct conclusion that Haruka had been foolish enough to take on Flagg hand to hand. The insane self-proclaimed Detective came into full view with Karasuba on his arm.

"Well well... well." Zac said in a comical way. He was smiling and holding a very powerful silver handgun. "I suppose you lose, Sahashi." He lifted up his left leg and delivered a vicious kick to Haruka's back. The Ashikabi fell the the ground and Kuno cried out to him and ran to his side. Zac let out a loud and malicious laugh. Karasuba wrapped herself around him and did the same.

"You know Minato." Zac started walking towards the Director's bastard son. When he reached him Zac put his left arm around the ronin's shoulders so that his gun was resting on Minato's upper chest and held up his free hand with one finger pointing straight up. "I just realized that once again... YOU FAILED! AHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

The pyromaniac fell over onto the ground and wrapped his arms around his stomach. Minato just stared at him with a face of disbelief. "You... are completely out of your mind."

"Maybe, but I still win!" He walked back over to the still downed Haruka and pointed his free hand towards the city. "Move. Or I'll kill you."

"What?" Haruka strained to say. He didn't understand what he was being told to do.

"Get back in the Capital or I will paint this bridge crimson with your blood."

Kuno looked at her Ashikabi, silently pleading him to do what the madman said. With great reluctance he hoisted himself up, but as soon as he did, Flagg pistol whipped him, causing him to fall back to the ground.

"On second thought," Zac started with a truly mad look in his eye. "I've a better idea." He rested his left foot on the downed Haruka's back and pointed his gun downwards toward his head. He then looked at Minato. "Go on then."

"What?" Minato was fighting the urge to break into tears. How could it all have gone so wrong so quickly? "What do you want?!"

"Stop me from blowing your friend's brains out with this .357 Desert Eagle." There was a hint of challenge in Zac's voice. "I don't mean you yourself, since that would never work. I mean use one of your Sekirei."

"What?" Minato repeated himself with disbelief.

"Go on then, use Musubi to break several of my bones. Have Kusano strangle me with a vine. Do something, your friend's time is ticking away."

"We both know I will not do that!" Minato could never have imagined himself using the ones he loved as weapons or tools to make his life easier.

"Not even on his life?" Dolarhyde cocked back his firearm's hammer.

Minato's voice died in his throat. He was stuck. No matter what he did, it would end horribly.

"This is what it all comes down to," Flagg said. He removed his foot from Haruka's back and even helped the injured Ashikabi up into a standing position. He limped towards Kuno, and the two of them embraced. The madman then looked back to Minato and his three Sekirei. The ronin looked at the golden eyed killer and his three Sekirei. Zacharias continued with his earlier statement. "This is what it all comes down to: an unstoppable force..." He pointed towards himself. "... Meets an immovable object." He pointed towards Minato. "But anyway, you and I are intertwined and meant to duel, but no today

Minato and Dolarhyde, along with all their Sekirei, watched them walk back into the isolated battlefield until they vanished from sight.

"I'm getting too old for this shit," Zac randomly declared. He then smiled at Minato like the ronin was his next meal. "But it never hurts to test oneself." He raised his free hand in the air and snapped his fingers so loudly it made an echo.

For a moment nothing happened, but then out of nowhere, on each side of the bridge, walls of water at least two hundred feet high rose towards the heavens.

"What's going on?!" Minato cried out. The towers of water began to lurch forward and came crashing down. Just as they did, Minato heard one more mocking shout from Flagg.

"I hope you can swim, Sahashi!"


	14. An Honest Killer

"We failed..." Minato said as he looked around. He could barely make out the silhouettes of everyone else also clinging to the unexplainable ice through the thick mist of the tidal waves.

"We did all we could," Musubi said. She pulled both of them up onto the top of their makeshift raft. Minato sat down and miserably put his hands on his face. Musubi tried to both warm and comfort him and wrapped her arms around him. She rested her head on his shoulder to show she still loved him.

"I am so stupid!" He said while weeping. "How could I NOT have thought about that PSYCHO getting in on this?!"

"How could you have?" Musubi asked supportingly.

"Because he finds out about literally everything!" Minato said with flowing tears. "I should have seen him coming a mile away! I should have thought of a distraction for him! I should have..." He trailed off and looked to the starry sky. "... I should have done something..."

Musubi could see her fated one was feeling horrible. She drew him in closer so that his arm went in between her ample breasts. "My heart still beats madly for you, Minato. I am still alive. All of us are. We should be thankful for that." He looked at her with his saturated eyes. She put her hands gently on his cheeks and brought their lips together.

XXXXXXX

Flagg stood on the bow of his ship, which he had bought with MBI money. He didn't need a steering wheel even though it was there with no one around it; Tsukiumi was handling the tide to make them go in the right direction.

He was surprised by how far out into the water the waves had sent them and everyone else. They looked like they were out on the open sea. There was a thick, almost stormy mist everywhere. He kept a sharp eye out for anything alive.

"See them?" Karsuba asked. Even though it had nothing to do with the subject, she still said it seductively.

He grumbled and shook his head. Not at her, but at the thought of being out in the water all night. He liked the water, but he also liked having his fiancée on top of him, naked and moaning. Suddenly, a flash of light formed about a quarter of a mile away from them. A vicious smile crossed his lips. "I see them now..."

XXXXXX

By some Devine luck, Matsu and Kuu had landed on the same berg and were now next to Musubi and Minato.

"Well." Matsu said while holding onto a shivering Kusano. "That could have gone better."

"Much," Minato said. Musubi still had her arms around his shoulders and refused to let go. "And now we are probably going to be stuck out here for awhile.

Kusano looked in the direction to her Ashikabi's back when he started that statement. Suddenly, through the mist, she saw something. After a moment, she could make out what it was.

"Ship," she said in wonder.

"Huh?" Minato said with confusion. He saw Kuu staring at something be hind him. He turned around and saw something he couldn't believe. A legit pirate ship. It came up next to them so close it scraped the side of his and Musubi's ice raft, making her tighten her hold on him.

The vessel was so massive, the fog mixed with it being nighttime made it impossible for the foursome to see the upper half of the ship.

But from the stop edge of it, Minato could just barely see an outline of a person.

"Ahoy mateys!" said a gruff voice from the outline.

"That voice..." Minato's eyes widened. "Oh NO!"

A rope ladder unraveled from the top and came down so that it was right next of him and Musubi. The man climbed down and it was the last person Minato wanted to see... and he was wearing a pirate hat.

"Avast, yee landlubbers. Captain Zacharias Anthony Flagg... at your service," Zac said with a smile and a tip of his hat. He kept his left hand and foot in the ladder. "Like the topper? I thought it would make me appear more like Blackbeard... and I was right! But anyway, it appears you are in need of some help..." He extended his free hand.

Minato slapped it away. "Why would we accept help from YOU OF ALL PEOPLE!?$?!"

"Because if you don't..."

Matsu finished for him. "Even worse things will happen."

"That's right Number Two!" Flagg said giving her a grateful wave. He then offered his hand once again to Minato.

The ronin looked the psycho in his golden eyes. He reluctantly took the hand before him.

Once they were all onboard, Minato instantly noted that all three of Zac's powerful Sekirei were there as well. So even if they made the decision to fight, they would lose without question.

"So, you try to escape and now you need my help," Zac said as he stepped to his harem. The one with silver hair wrapped herself around his arm, and the blonde followed suit on the opposite side.

"We already have your help," Minato pointed out.

"No, I mean when we get back."

"What?" Minato was confused.

"Think about it. You tried to break the one rule in this Stage. Don't try to escape. And to make it all worse, you have a wanted MBI fugitive with you." He nodded to Matsu, who paled instantly. "So basically, you owe me."

Minato sweated coldly. He knew that Flagg would turn them in just to amuse himself. He caved in. "What do you want?"

Flagg smiled wickedly. "In stage Three, there will be an... event that will be voluntary to be a part of..."

"And you want him to be at it," Matsu said with a terrified veneer. She knew exactly what Flagg was up to, just not exactly what it would involve or entail.

"Precisely." Flagg turned back to look at Minato, awaiting an answer.

Minato took in a deep, defeated breath. "Alright."

"Excellent! Now then, when we dock, I suggest you surrender. Seeing as MBI is waiting for us."

XXXXXX

Takami and a platoon of MBI soldiers waited near the shore for Disciplinary Ashikabi Flagg to return to them. She had a lit cigarette in her mouth. She watched the thick fog, waiting in complete silence for that golden-eyed freak to return. Finally after what seemed like eons, she saw something on the water that could be nobody but Flagg. Who else would tread open water in a ship that looked ancient?

It eventually made it to shore and who else but Flagg jumped out off his vessel to greet her.

"Takami! So good to see you!" he said with an actually normal smile.

"You look ridiculous," she said without emotion eying his strange hat and brown overcoat.

"What can I say?" he said with a shrug. "I've been fascinated with Privateers since I was a little boy."

Takami shook her head and looked at the rope ladder in the side of Flagg's ship. It didn't take long for her to see who it was when he reached the ground and turned towards them. Her eyes widened.

"Mom?!" Minato said in surprise. "What are you doing here?" As if on cue, two Sekirei dropped next to him.

"AH HA!" Flagg declared pointing a finger triumphantly towards the sky. "I knew it!" The two of his Sekirei joined him by his side. He instantly calmed down. "So yes. It is now a fact that my assumption of Minato was correct all along. Damn I'm good."

XXXXXX

Minato slowly opened his eyes. His vision was blurry, but after a few seconds he clearly saw his mother and a now normal-dressed Flagg standing over him. He felt so sore and drained, he didn't even freak out after taking in the fact Flagg was present.

"What happnened?" He asked with a strained and tired voice.

"You passed out," his mother answered. "but you're alright. It was just stress getting the better of you."

"Let's be glad it was just that," Flagg said.

"What do you care?" Minato asked weakly. "You tried to kill us."

"Believe me ronin, if I had even remotely tried to kill you, you wouldn't be talking to me right now."

"He's telling the cold truth," Takami said. She turned to face Flagg, who in return faced her right in the eyes. "But I had to ask, if you weren't aiming to kill him, then why did you get involved?"

"Easy, to make sure he didn't get himself and everyone else killed. Now hear me out. If I hadn't of dismissed Benitsubasa and Haihane, what would have happened?"

"They would have killed all of us," Minato realized out loud.

"Precisely. So by intervening and bringing in my own Squad, I saved your life, and that other couple's... at least for now." He took his leave.

"Well, Flagg's a killer..." Takami started. She looked down at her exhausted son. "... A tyrannical Ashikabi, and a complete psychopath. But I've never known him to be a liar..."

XXXXXX

Back in his private quarters, Flagg waited for Karasuba and Tsukiumi to return to him as he lied down on his leather sofa. Suddenly, he felt a chill roll over his body.

"What is it Akitsu?"

"I still cannot see why you requested that I take Matsu back to Izumo Inn." She answered with a bored tone.

"Because if she had been there when MBI showed up, she would have gotten taken in, and if that would've happened, Sahashi would have lost his edge."

"Why does that matter to you?"

"Because, you dolt, if that happened, he surely would have lost very soon. And if that happens, then my triumph won't come true."

"And what is this triumph of yours?"

"Taking control of MBI, which is going to happen very very shortly, and then in the Final Stage, I will slowly and ruthlessly kill Takami's son right in front of her."

At that moment Karasuba casually walked into their home and lied down on top of her Ashikabi.

"This should lighten your spirits," she said to him as they gazed into each other's eyes. "I just witnessed the other pathetic Squad try to teach that Sahashi kid a lesson."

"And let me guess," Flagg said. "His Sekirei showed up and saved the day?"

"Actually no. He wound up Winging my old teammate, Kazehana."

"Exactly how is that supposed to make him feel better? The fact that that's another Single Number not under his influence?" Akitsu asked.

"Because," Flagg started. "It means there's only one unwinged Sekirei left. And that means Stage Three is fast approaching." He gently pushed Karasuba off of him so he could sit up. He grabbed his laptop and looked through the files. He rifled until he found it. "Number Six, Homura. Fire-based powers. Defective. Known to hate Minaka." He closed his computer and thought deeply. "Perhaps Minaka should tell the competitors just where they can find him..."

XXXXXX

"So I take it you didn't Wing the final Feather?" Flagg asked his dear friend Higa as the two of them looked out into the city from the window in the latter's office.

"No. But why didn't you want him?"

"It would have tipped the scales at work. The Squads have to have an equal number of Sekirei."

"But... but you have three."

"An equal number of Winged Sekirei." Flagg added the most important detail.

"Ah, understood. So what happens now?"

"The Tower is destroyed and Stage Three begins."

"When will that happen?"

"Whenever Minaka sees fit."

Suddenly, Higa's phone went off announcing he had a message. He flipped open his phone and read it quietly to himself. After that was done he returned his phone to his pocket.

"The Tower is being assaulted," he explained to Flagg. "And he expects us to fend them off."

"Who's 'us'?" Flagg asked.

"All the Ashikabi in the Sekirei Plan."

"So... He assaults the Tower, hoping to gain something, but what?"

"How should we know?" Higa said with a shrug.

"Wait a minute..." Flagg thought as hard as his twisted mind would allow. "This isn't about stopping an attack; this is about progressing the Game!"

"So what does that mean for us?"

"We are simply going to sit back and enjoy the show..."


End file.
